United Arab Emirates: Further information: Emirati academic sentenced to 10 years
On 29 March, the Federal Appeal Court in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) sentenced prominent Emirati economist and academic, Dr Nasser bin Ghaith to ten years in prison. He was convicted on various charges including “insulting the UAE”. He is a prisoner of conscience.
Further information on UA: 183/15 Index: MDE 25/5997/2017 United Arab Emirates (UAE) Date: 04 April 2017
URGENT ACTION
EMIRATI ACADEMIC SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS
On 29 March, the Federal Appeal Court in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) sentenced
prominent Emirati economist and academic, Dr Nasser bin Ghaith to ten years in prison.
He was convicted on various charges including “insulting the UAE”. He is a prisoner of
conscience.
On 29 March, the Federal Appeal Court in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital, sentenced human
rights defender Dr Nasser bin Ghaith to ten years’ imprisonment. He had been tried and convicted on charges
including “posting false information” about UAE leaders and their policies, based on comments he made on Twitter
stating that he had not been given a fair trial in a case including four other Emiratis known as the “UAE 5” case. Dr
Nasser bin Ghaith has also been convicted of “communicating and co-operating with members of the banned al-
Islah organization”, in connection with meetings he had with individuals allegedly linked to the organization.
Dr Nasser bin Ghaith was not able to prepare an effective defence as the Emirati authorities had restricted his
access to his lawyer. Dr Nasser bin Ghaith's lawyer was unable to be present for the verdict since the court had
even changed the order of the cases to be examined, making his first of the day.
Dr Nasser bin Ghaith has the right to appeal his sentence before the Federal Supreme Court. He is currently held
at the remote high security al-Razeen prison in Abu Dhabi.
Please write immediately in Arabic, English or your own language:
Urging the authorities to quash immediately and unconditionally release him, as he is a prisoner of conscience
detained solely for peacefully exercising his rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly;
Urging the authorities to protect Dr Nasser bin Ghaith from torture and other ill-treatment;
Calling on them to order an independent and effective investigation into his allegations of enforced
disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment;
Calling on them to ensure he has access to medical care, a lawyer of his choice and is allowed family visits.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 16/05/2017 TO:
Vice-President and Prime Minister
HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin
Rashid al-Maktoum
Prime Minister’s Office
PO Box: 212000
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Fax: +971 4 330 4044
Email: info@primeminister.ae
Twitter: @HHShkMohd
Salutation: Your Highness
Minister of Interior
Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Zayed Sport City, Arab Gulf Street, Near
to Shaikh Zayed Mosque
POB: 398, Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
Fax: +971 2 402 2762/ +971 2 441 5780
Email: moi@moi.gov.ae
Salutation: Your Highness
And copies to:
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
HH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al
Nahyan
Crown Prince Court
King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz
Al Saud Street,
P.O. Box: 124
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Fax: +971 2 668 6622
Twitter: @MBZNews
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please insert local diplomatic addresses below:
Name Address 1 Address 2 Address 3 Fax Fax number Email Email address Salutation Salutation
Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date. This is the fifth update of UA 183/15. Further information:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde25/5738/2017/en/
URGENT ACTION
EMIRATI ACADEMIC SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
On 28 March, 10 human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, called for the release of Dr Nasser bin Ghaith.
See Amnesty International, United Arab Emirates (UAE): Stop paying lip service to human rights and release Dr Nasser Bin
Ghaith (Index: MDE 25/5968/2017), 28 March 2017, available at https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde25/5968/2017/en/.
Following the issuing of his sentence, Amnesty International expressed its condemnation. See Amnesty International, United
Arab Emirates (UAE): Prominent academic jailed for 10 years over tweets in outrageous blow to freedom of expression, 29
March 2017, available at https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/03/uae-prominent-academic-jailed-for-10-years-over-
tweets-in-outrageous-blow-to-freedom-of-expression/
In 2011, Dr Nasser bin Ghaith and four Emiratis (in a case known as the “UAE 5”) were unfairly tried for statements made
online” calling for economic, political and social reforms in the UAE. They were convicted of “publicly insulting” the UAE’s
President, Vice-President and Crown Prince. Dr Nasser bin Ghaith was sentenced to two years in prison. Following an
international outcry, the UAE President pardoned them and they were released.
On 18 August 2015, Dr Nasser bin Ghaith was subjected to enforced disappearance after he was arrested by UAE State
Security at his place of work. On 4 April 2016, he was seen for the first time since his disappearance, when he was brought
before the State Security Chamber of the Federal Supreme Court for his first trial. On this occasion, as well as during his
second hearing on 2 May 2016, Dr Nasser bin Ghaith told the court that he had been kept in secret detention and subjected to
beatings and deliberate sleep deprivation for nearly eight months. The judge dismissed his claims and refused to order an
independent investigation into his allegations of torture and ill-treatment.
In addition to the charges listed above, Dr Nasser bin Ghaith has also been charged with: “committing a hostile act against a
foreign state”, in relation to comments he made on Twitter criticizing the government of Egypt; “offensively criticizing the
construction of a Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi and inciting UAE citizens against their leaders and government”, in reference to a
tweet which he told the court had been misinterpreted and had been intended to promote tolerance.
Amnesty International has documented allegations of ill treatment and torture at the high security al-Razeen Prison, situated in
the middle of the Abu Dhabi desert and effectively under the control of the State Security. On 11 November 2015, Dr
Mohammed al-Roken was awoken in his cell at al-Razeen prison by blaring music. In August 2013, 18 prisoners went on
hunger strike in protest at their treatment by the prison authorities, including beatings by prison guards, restrictions on family
visits, and being kept in darkness. Between 21 and 28 August, three of them collapsed after the prison authorities had
deliberately turned off air-conditioning when the weather was hot. At least 10 prisoners of conscience were ill-treated in al-
Razeen Prison in June 2014.
Prisoners and their families have said that the political prisoners in al-Razeen Prison are specifically discriminated against. The
prisoners have complained to the authorities about their conditions, as their families, but with no discernible results. On 25
March 2014, the families of prisoners held at al-Razeen Prison addressed a joint letter to Abu Dhabi’s Attorney General, asking
that he investigates alleged abuses against the prisoners. However, they received no response. Likewise, the Minister of Interior
did not respond to a letter, dated August 2013, calling his attention to the alleged ill-treatment of the prisoners.
Name: Dr Nasser bin Ghaith
Gender m/f: m
Further information on UA: 183/15 Index: MDE 25/5997/2017 Issue Date: 04 April 2017