UAE: Using money and power to further push the prosecution of activists

Ahmed Shaiba Al-Naimi, head of the International Center for Studies, said that there was no legal value for the files provided by the state security forces while going after Emiratis overseas.

He also emphasised the fact that all of the democratic world countries turn deaf ears to the allegations  brought up by the police states against liberal campaigners who advocate for reform and democracy. 

For the Emirati security forces are clearly going after political activists abroad and exercising excruciating pressure on regimes as to impel them to hand these activists over because they exercised their right of expression.

This became apparent especially after the abduction of Abdul Rahman Khalifa Al Suwaidi by the UAE intelligence agents in cooperation with the Indonesian authorities in October 21st, 2015. 

Abdul Rahman was one of the most prominent Emirati dissidents abroad, also "belonging to the Association of Reform". He was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison in the case known as the "UAE94."

Abu Dhabi uses political power, money and investments to further push the prosecution of activists and restrictions on them. 

A report published by the Financial Times stated that Abu Dhabi had complained privately to the United Kingdom after the granting of political asylum to Emirati activists who have fled the country after the 2011 campaign calling for reform which ended with throwing nearly 70 people in jail. And as a scapegoat the UAE government ended the work of 80 British officers working within a long program between the two governments.

The report explained that three UAE nationals were able to obtain political asylum in the United Kingdom in the first quarter of 2014, while immigration authorities suspended three other requests (right after UAE's rebuke to the UK) according to statistics from the British Ministry of the Interior.