UAE to Launch its National Human Rights Plan Amid Serious Human Rights Violations

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash declared the intention to launch the UAE National Human Rights Plan that will allegedly "strengthen the legislative system and promote civil and political rights."

“UAE is currently preparing a draft law for the National Commission for Human Rights. Upon its completion, it will be presented to the Federal National Council (FNC) for discussion and approval,” he said. 

The plan which will supposedly "strengthen the legislative system and promote civil and political rights” makes no direct reference to the biggest burden on their human rights record: the number of prisoners of conscience who are being unjustly detained in harrowing detention conditions.

The cases of Emirati human rights defenders, Ahmed Mansoor, Nasser Bin Ghaith and Mohammed Al-Roken shine light on the severity of this issue. Their endeavours to enhance democratic reform all resulted in 10-year prison sentences, which have been accompanied by frequent acts of torture and ill-treatment throughout their detainment.

The statement therefore failed to address the urgent flaws in the Emirati legal and political systems. The government has long drawn upon vaguely worded Cybercrime and Anti-Terrorism laws to crackdown on civil society. Such laws were used to sentence Ahmed Mansoor, Nasser Bin Ghaith and Mohammed Al-Roken along with many other lawyers, political activists, journalists and academics who criticized the regime online.

For genuine attempts to improve its human rights record, the UAE must address its draconian laws, which rob peaceful dissidents of their freedom and leave them with long sentences.  

The issue of indefinite detention has also become an alarming concern in the UAE. Recently, two more activists Maryam Al Balushi and Amina Al Abdouli were denied their owed freedom and are being held in prison beyond their release dates scheduled this November. 

A total of 14 political prisoners now remain behind bars beyond their sentences without any legal basis. 

The UAE’s human rights record has been sharply deteriorating in 2020. For any real improvements to be made in 2021 the UAE must seek to address its oppressive laws, along with ending all torture and ill-treatment to detained individuals, as well as releasing all individuals currently held in indefinite detention immediately.