Video: Abdul Rahman Bin Subaih Gives Televised Testimony under Pressure

A member of the UAE banned Islah Group, Abdul Rahman Bin Subaih Khalifa Al Suwaidi, recently appeared in a television program on the government-run Abu Dhabi TV channel where he gave suspicious testimonies about his group and the Qatari role in the region.

Bin Subaih, who was forcibly extradited and detained in the UAE after seeking asylum in Indonesia in 2015, said during the interview that the Islah group had orchestrated plots to destabilise the UAE's security, with the support of the Qatari government and Qatari charities.

Moreover, he denied being kidnapped by UAE security officers and being subjected to alleged torture.

However, his notable weight loss and serious health deterioration suggest otherwise; indicating that he has been subjected to ill-treatment whilst in prison in the UAE.

Local activists claim that Bin Subaih appeared in the interview against his will, and that his testimonies were given under coercion from UAE authorities.

Bin Subaih came to the attention of authorities in the UAE after his involvement in the signing of a petition which called for elections in the country and an independent judiciary.

The authorities took exception to the petition and began to round up those involved, Bin Subaih was forced to flee the country.

Eventually ending up in Indonesia, Bin Subaih was applying for asylum in the country. However, his application ran into problems when the Indonesians collaborated with the Emiratis to detain and return him to the UAE.

In December 2015, the Indonesian security forces allowed the UAE authorities to detain Bin Subaih and return him back to the Emirati state.