UAE urged to drop ‘politically motivated’ terror charges against human rights activists
The United Arab Emirates has been urged to drop “politically motivated” terrorism charges levelled against dozens of human rights activists after holding a secret mass trial.
More than 80 Emiratis, including renowned prisoners of conscience, were accused of setting up or supporting and financing a terrorist organisation during the closed-door hearing.
International and regional rights organisations including Amnesty International on Wednesday urged the Gulf state to drop the charges, dismissing them as “politically motivated”, and “immediately release all arbitrarily detained individuals”.
An open letter signed by the group said that the moves, which became public during the recent Cop28 climate summit in Dubai, targeted a number of individuals who have peacefully pushed for the promotion of human rights in the country.
“Prosecuting these individuals for peaceful advocacy of human rights, while many of them have already been arbitrarily detained for years on similar charges, is a shameful act that reaffirms the UAE authorities’ desire to continue punishing and intimidating any potential critics into silence,” it said.
“Among those who have been confirmed so far and are not in exile, are defendants who have been detained for years, most of whom finished their sentences long ago but remain arbitrarily detained,” it added.
Defendants living in exile
The organisations went on to condemn what they said was the UAE authorities’ “use of the criminal justice system as a tool to keep these individuals behind bars and suppress peaceful criticism or calls for reform”.
The 87 Emiratis facing the new charges include Islamist activists imprisoned in the wake of the Arab Spring protests of 2011, which included calls for democratic elections in the UAE.
Long-time Emirati human rights defenders such as Ahmed Mansoor and Mohamed al-Roken are also among the group. Some of the defendants facing new charges are living in exile.
The UAE, which consists of seven emirates ruled by sheikhs, has long been on the back foot over its human rights record.
It has been accused of regular abuses, including using the notorious Pegasus spyware produced by Israel’s NSO Group to target activists. It has always denied the claims.
The Telegraph and The Spectator are currently subject to a takeover bid by RedBird IMI, a fund backed by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the vice president and deputy prime minister of the UAE.
Censorship and foreign state influence fears
In November, Lucy Frazer, the Culture Secretary, intervened to prevent the fund from taking control of The Telegraph amid fears of censorship and foreign state influence.
She issued a Public Interest Intervention Notice to RedBird IMI which will trigger initial investigations by Ofcom and the Competition and Markets Authority of the planned takeover.
The regulators have been asked to deliver their reports by Jan 26.
Ms Frazer’s move means that RedBird IMI, led by Jeff Zucker, the former CNN chief, could face legally binding restrictions on how it is allowed to operate The Telegraph, or even that the deal could be blocked.
A series of Tory MPs have raised concerns about the planned takeover, along with the Liberal Democrats and Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6.
Earlier this month it emerged that Mr Zucker had rejected a plan to reduce the share of Abu Dhabi cash behind the takeover and ease concerns over press freedom.
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