ICFUAE calls on HRH Prince Andrew to raise issue of human rights abuses during visit to UAE this week

The International Campaign for Freedom in the UAE (ICFUAE) calls on HRH Prince Andrew the Duke of York to raise the issue of systematic human rights violations on his upcoming visit to the United Arab Emirates this week. Rather than reinforcing the UAE’s carefully cultivated image of a cosmopolitan, liberal and affluent business hub, the Duke of York should fulfill his obligations as a royal representative of the United Kingdom by bringing attention to the increasing repression and persecution of political dissent.

The Duke of York was previously the head of UK Trade and Investment, a department responsible for promoting UK international trade, particularly the arms trade. However he stepped down from this role in 2011 after widespread controversy which included holding meetings with Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif, and entertaining the son-in-law of Tunisia's ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali at Buckingham Palace. He also participated in an arms trade delegation to Bahrain in 2014.

Today the Duke will attend Pitch@PalaceUAE at Khalifa University, whose stated aim is to provide a platform to showcase entrepreneurs, connecting them to UK and international networks with the objective of amplifying their businesses. His visit will continue to focus on trade links, including a visit to Abu Dhabi Global Markets.

It is time that the Duke of York ceases to prioritise trade over confronting human rights abuses. By endorsing repressive regimes, such as that of the UAE, he is giving explicit consent to extensive human rights violations, such as arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and torture, which have been highlighted on numerous occasions by the UN.

The ICFUAE calls on the Duke of York to make it clear that human rights violations will not be carried out with the consent of the United Kingdom. He can do this by using his visit to make a public call for those responsible for human rights violations in the UAE to be held to account.