Nasser Bin Ghaith declares hunger strike against his ill-treatment in Razeen prison

The Emirati prominent prisoner of conscience dr Nasser Bin Ghaith, sentenced to ten years in prison for the peaceful expression of his conscientiously held beliefs, declared on February 25 an open hunger strike in protest against his ill-treatment in Razeen prison.

He has begun an indefinite hunger strike protesting his difficult detention conditions and lack of due process, family sources revealed.

 On 29 March 2017, Bin Ghaith was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges stemming from his exercise of the rights to free expression and association.

On 2 April 2017, he launched a hunger strike in rejection of the court’s order.

Before being sentenced, Bin Ghaith in unknown location for more than 19 months without charge.

Emirati security forces initially arrested Bin Ghaith without charge in August 2015, and proceeded to forcibly disappear him for the following eight months.

Throughout his detention and trial, Emirati authorities have prevented Dr. bin Ghaith from meeting his lawyer or family members.