50 human rights organisations have issued a joint statement calling on western countries allied with the UAE to pressure its authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all those convicted in the mass trial of UAE94 Group members.
In a joint statement, signed by the ICFUAE, the organisation stressed that the trial does not meet the most basic international standards required for a fair trial and legal process, and that while many of those sentenced to 10 years in prison should be released this year, they are still in custody after their sentences ended.
According to the statement, one of the main reasons for the Emirati authorities to target the members of the Emirates 94 group was their signature on the reform petition submitted to the head of state and the members of the Supreme Council, the rulers of the seven emirates, on March 3, 2011, as the signatories demanded "the election of all members of the Federal National Council by all citizens, as is customary in democratic countries around the world" and "the amendment of constitutional articles related to the Federal National Council to ensure that it has broad legislative and oversight powers."
The statement added that the response of the UAE authorities to the call for reforms was repressive and reflected their seizure of the other opinion and their lack of respect for the civil and human rights of citizens. Many of the petition signatories have been subjected to all kinds of direct attacks, including arbitrary arrest and detention and unjustified prison sentences following sham trials on false charges; in addition, a number of them have had their citizenship revoked, their property and assets seized, and they and their families dismissed from their jobs.
The statement pointed out that the UAE authorities have failed to conduct an independent, impartial and comprehensive investigation into the alleged torture and ill-treatment of members of "UAE 94" before and after their trial, and to bring to justice those responsible for these violations, as well as to provide reparations and compensation to the victims.
The statement criticises the UAE authorities for keeping many detainees of conscience in detention after their sentences end; because they pose a threat to the security of the state and need to be rehabilitated, pointing out that prisoners who are to be released are often transferred from Al-Razeen Prison to Counselling Center, which despite its name suggesting tolerance, is just another prison wing isolated from the others.
The statement pointed out that 17 detainees of conscience are currently languishing in the counselling center, although their sentences have already ended. 14 of them belong to the UAE 94 group.
Human Rights statement calls on the UAE authorities to close the so-called "counselling stations" or centres in prisons and release all prisoners after their sentences end.
It should be noted that UAE Case 94 is a mass trial conducted by UAE authorities against UAE94 that began in March 2013 and ended on July 2, 2013, when the Abu Dhabi Supreme Federal Court issued verdicts convicting 69 of the 94 defendants, including eight of those tried in absentia, 25 of whom were acquitted. The prison sentences ranged from seven to 15 years.
Among those convicted were many prominent figures in Emirati society, including human rights lawyer, professor of constitutional law and former president of the UAE Lawyers Association, Dr. Mohammed Al-Roken, and two well-known lawyers and human rights defenders, Dr. Muhammad Al-Mansouri and Salem Al-Shehhi, as well as human rights defenders Abd al-Salam Muhammad Darwish al-Marzouqi and Sheikh Muhammad Abd al-Razzaq al-Siddiq, both of whom were rendered stateless after authorities revoked their citizenship and left them without identity documents.