Letter of a young girl to her detained father in UAE jails

The International Centre for Justice and Human Rights (ICJHR), an NGO based in Geneva, has released a letter from the daughter of a prisoner of conscience in the UAE.

The letter, addressed to her father, talks about the difficulties that her family is facing since his arrest.

The letter has been published in the form of a video, to protect the safety and confidentiality of the author: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrsJqMwa4JM

The letter:

Dear father, light of my eyes,

I know that you were so happy when my mum gave birth to me. You looked into my eyes. You bought me clothes, toys, and many other things. You raised me well. You taught me the best customs. The best morals and the best attitudes. You taught me how to like you, to like my relatives, my siblings, my country, my nation.

My beloved father, whenever I look in my photo album I can sense your presence. All around me, I see you beside me in every happy occasion smiling or laughing.

In one picture of my fifth birthday, I see you standing next to me smiling or you piggy backing me jumping from one place to another.

In another nice memory, you were playing with my hair while I was laid upon my bed ill, tears trickling from your eyes but full of kindness, love and hope.

I will never forget the look on your face as your eyes glistened with joy and your head was raised with pride the day you saw me succeed at school with distinction.

Oh, my beloved father, five years ago today, you left home and never came back. What more can I say, only Allah knows of my pain. You disappeared into the dungeons of oppression, intimidation and tyranny.

Not knowing what is happening with you makes my imagination as a child run away and this leaves me traumatised. I have no say, even the smallest of my matters left to wait, to gradually lose hope, gradually be inhuman and to gradually condescend.

Is it true or false?! I see you in my dreams being tortured. I hear your cries of pain. Your sighs of pain make my open wounds even more painful.

Eid is here Dad, to witness what they have done to you. Eid is sad because of what they have done. Because of their lies, I would do anything to help you. I would give my life for you, but my Lord will be with you.

He knows the intimidations. He will not abandon you. I believe in His justice. I put my faith in Him and I will never lose hope in Him.

They called you detainee and put you in jail whereas I put you in my heart. You have been intimidated Dad, this is what I see in their biasedoap operas and lying documentaries.

On the land of happiness, we only see hardship. On the land of tolerance, we only see oppression and false accusations. Between us and them, Allah knows who deceives the eyes and what the heart conceals.

Oh, father, our Eid is the day you come back home. Peace be upon you through time and peace once you come back to us. Safe with the will of Allah, The Lord of all worlds.

Your beloved daughter