By Carolyn Abdenour
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – On Monday, 9 April, the authorities notified six activists they resided in the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”) illegally and detained them. The authorities revoked the nationality of these activists for critical statements they made about the country’s leadership last year.
The activists’ lawyer Mohammed al-Roken reported the Interior Minister summoned the activists to the capital Abu Dhabi to inform them they resided in the country illegally. The Minister then instructed them to sign a statement that forced them to obtain a new nationality within two weeks.
Daughter of activist Mohammed Abdel-Razzaq al-Siddiq reported, “My father called us…He refused to sign the declaration as now he is stateless, so he was detained along with the other five men.” The authorities detained the six in a detention facility that caters to illegal immigrants.
Al-Roken describes the government’s act of stripping the men of their citizenship as unconstitutional.
Al-Siddiq believes the authorities targeted them for advocating for political change as part of the Reform and Social Guidance Association, an Islamic political organization linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. He sought political reform by signing a petition calling for the UAE leadership to grant more powers to the country’s Federal National Council, an advisory body.
Although the UAE has a generous welfare system and is a lead oil exporter, the leadership has aggressively quashed political dissent to maintain control of their country. Last year, for example, the authorities detained an economics professor, a well-known blogger, and three other political activists on anti-state charges of endangering national security, inciting protests, and insulting the government. A judge sentenced the detainees to two to three years in jail. The president released the activists the following day, but he did not officially drop the charges.
On 5 April, the authorities detained representatives of the National Democratic Institute (“NDI”), a US-sponsored democracy group, when they attempted to depart the country once the authorities closed their UAE office for licensing issues. After questioning an American employee in detention, the authorities allowed the two Americans to leave the country. However, the authorities did not permit an employee of Serbian nationality to depart.
Authorities closed the NDI office on 28 March before closing the offices of Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a German pro-democracy group, on 29 March. Polling group Gallup also recently closed its Abu Dhabi office.
Middle East researcher for Human Rights Watch (“HRW”) Samer Muscati commented, “It seems that the government is still frightened by the events transpiring in the Middle East and are trying to do what it takes to keep the Arab Spring from reaching its shore, regardless of how small that possibility might be.”
For further information, please see:
Al Arabiya News – UAE Detains Islamists Linked to Terror Funding – 10 Apr 2012
Gulf Daily News – UAE Activists Held – 10 Apr 2012
The Chicago Tribune – UAE Detains 6 Islamists Stripped Of Citizenship: Lawyer – 9 Apr 2012
The Kansas City Star – UAE Detains 6 Activists Critical Of Rulers – 9 Apr 2012
CNN – Details Emerge In UAE Closing Of Pro-Democracy Groups – 6 Apr 2012
