The case of Ahmed Mansoor is a stark reminder of the ongoing human rights violations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the country’s failure to uphold its commitments to protect human rights. Mansoor, a prominent human rights defender, was arrested for his peaceful activism and has been held in solitary confinement ever since.
His case highlights the lengths to which the UAE will go to silence dissent and stifle the voices of those who speak out against government abuses. Despite international pressure and calls for his release, Mansoor remains behind bars, revealing the true face of the UAE’s human rights commitment.
Background
The situation with Ahmed Mansoor exposes the truth about the UAE’s dedication to human rights. The human rights defender has been in custody since March 20th, 2017, and has been isolated for most of that time. No one knows for sure where he’s being held, and his family has only been allowed to see him twice, both times at the prosecutor’s office.
This isn’t Ahmed’s first time getting in trouble for expressing his opinions. Back in 2011, the Security Chamber of the Federal Supreme Court handed down a three-year prison sentence to him. The reason for his punishment was his offense of insulting leaders of the UAE and disseminating untruthful information that had the potential to damage the nation’s policies.
Ahmed Mansoor, UAE Advocate, Given Decade-Long Sentence
Amnesty International expressed its concern today regarding the imprisonment of a well-known human rights advocate in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The activist was accused of posting on Facebook and Twitter, which led to a harsh penalty, resulting in a significant loss of freedom of speech in the country.
The individual, Ahmed Mansoor, was sentenced to ten years in jail and charged a fine of 1,000,000 Emirati Dirham (about $270,000 USD) for his social media statements.
According to Lynn Maalouf, who is the Middle East Research Director of Amnesty International,” Ahmed Mansoor is one of the few openly critical voices in the UAE, and his persecution is another nail in the coffin for human rights activism in the country.”
The UAE’s reputation and “social harmony” are genuinely damaged by the decision to imprison Ahmed Mansoor for ten years just because he shared his thoughts on social media. It’s not Ahmed Mansoor’s peaceful activism that causes harm.
Instead, the real damage comes from the decision to put him in jail for expressing his opinion online. Ahmed is a prisoner of conscience who should never have been charged or sentenced for simply using Facebook and Twitter. To make things right, he must be released immediately.
The prosecution accused Mansoor of spreading untrue information to harm the UAE’s reputation overseas and making it seem like the UAE was a place without laws. They also claimed he worked with a terrorist group outside the country. However, Mansoor was found not guilty of this last accusation.
Mansoor received his punishment from the State Security Chamber of the Federal Appeal Court located in Abu Dhabi. If he wants to challenge his sentence, he has the option to appeal to the State Security Chamber of the Federal Supreme Court.
His trial started in March of this year, and there was a hearing on April 11th. There may have been a third hearing on May 9th, but there has yet to be any confirmation. His sentencing occurred on May 29th, but the news about it only surfaced recently.
The treatment of Ahmed Mansoor by the UAE government is indicative of the country’s lack of commitment to human rights. Despite the UAE’s claims of being a progressive and modern country, the arrest and detention of Mansoor reflect a different reality.
Ahmed Mansoor is a person of integrity and honor who stands up against an unjust state. His actions in advocating for human rights and criticizing the UAE government are noble and commendable. However, the UAE government’s response to his actions reveals their unwillingness to tolerate any dissent or criticism.
