Supporters in London and Manchester Protest Arrest of Prominent UAE Activist

On Monday, 27th March, people in London and Manchester held a vigil to demand the release of prominent Emirati human rights defender. Ahmed Mansoor was detained last week by the UAE authorities and remains in an unknown location, at high risk of torture and other ill-treatment. The vigil, organised by the ICFUAE at the UAE Embassy in London and by Amnesty Manchester at the Manchester town hall, saw supporters from all over the country join in solidarity.

Ahmed Mansoor was arrested in Dubai by the UAE authorities in the early hours of Monday 20th March 2017. Ahmed is the winner of the 2015 Laureate Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders and member of the advisory committee of Human Rights Watch. He was taken away during the night by twelve undercover members of UAE security forces, after they searched his house from top to bottom without any warrant. Now being kept in a secret location, Ahmed Mansoor is denied access to his family and to any legal assistance. His enforced disappearance places him at high risk of torture. Ahmed is a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for peacefully exercising his rights to freedom of expression.

Joe Odell, Press Officer at the ICFUAE, said: “In direct contravention to international law, the UAE authorities have not only violated Mansoor's right to freedom of expression but have also subjected him to an enforced disappearance and denied him access to legal representation. This detention demonstrates the repression that lies at the heart of the UAE state where any public criticism of the authorities is regularly quashed in the most draconian manner.”

Laura Barsby, chair of the Amnesty International Manchester group said in a press release: “Ahmed has worked tirelessly to defend human rights in the UAE against incredible odds, and he was one of the few remaining links to help us understand the human rights situation in the country. We are very concerned about his welfare, and urge anyone who feels able to do so to write immediately urging the authorities grant his release.”

Early this morning, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Group on Enforced Disappearances and 3 Special Rapporteurs published a statement urging the UAE to release Ahmed Mansoor immediately and unconditionally. “We regard Mr. Mansoor’s arrest and detention as a direct attack on the legitimate work of human rights defenders in the UAE,” the experts said. They also urged the authorities "to end the harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders in the UAE, and to respect the right of everyone to freedom of opinion and expression, including on social media and the internet". 

Pier Antonio Panzeri, Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights at the European Parliament also called for the release of Ahmed Mansoor, encouraging other European states to do the same.

The United Arab Emirates have worked endlessly to promote their liberal image abroad, but their harsh repression on freedom of expression is gaining more international attention.

1.    Amnesty's press release: https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/manchester-city-council-urged-raise-case-detained-emirati-human-rights-activist 

2.    UN statement: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=21449&LangID=E 

3.    EU Parliament Subcommittee on Human RIghts statement: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/20170328IPR68805/droi-chair-calls-on-uae-to-unconditionally-release-ahmed-mansoor