Nearly four months after his arrest, Naser bin Ghaith's family still have no idea where he was taken, why he was arrested, and what charges he may face. They are terrified of speaking to the press or raising his case with the authorities. There has been no official comment about his arrest; in fact, his arrest has not even been confirmed.
According to Emirati activist Ahmed Mansoor, bin Ghaith's family was warned not to talk to the media or approach human rights organizations. “Fear is the dominant factor when it comes to speaking about someone taken by the security authorities,” he said.
Mansoor also claimed that family members were warned that if they did not stop complaining, they, too, would be interrogated, lose their jobs, or, more ominously, things will go badly for their loved one in detention.
Human rights advocates and released prisoners allege that those detained in secret prisons in the UAE are often subjected to torture in order to extract a false confession. They claim that prisoners are moved to an ordinary jail once the signs of torture have healed. Only then their families and lawyers can see them. UAE Authorities have denied this.
Mansoor said that the government of the UAE is no longer bothered by international pressure and condemnation from human rights organizations. When asked what he expects bin Ghaith is doing while in detention, Mansoor replied, “From what I know of him he will be on hunger strike. He is a person who takes hard decisions and implements them immediately.”