Country Profile: United Arab Emirates

The state of human rights in United Arab Emirates continues to deteriorate as authorities have arbitrarily restricted the rights of freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.

On February 10, 2021, a United Nations expert published a report suggesting that Emirati professor and economist Nasser bin Ghaith and two other human rights defenders imprisoned in the United Arab Emirates are being mistreated in conditions that may amount to torture and called for their release. Ghaith’s health is reportedly severely deteriorating, and he is now unable to walk without assistance. The economist, who taught at the Abu Dhabi branch of Paris-Sorbonne University, is serving a 10-year sentence handed down in March 2017 for tweets critical of UAE authorities. During his trial, the Emirati authorities restricted his access to his lawyer, and he was unable to prepare a proper defense. Bin Ghaith is being held at the Al-Razeen maximum security prison in Abu Dhabi, which is home to a number of Emirati dissidents and where he claims to have experienced torture at the hands of officials.

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(Last updated: April 5, 2021)

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Please send appeals to the following:

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Prime Minister’s Office

PO Box: 212000

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Fax: +971 4 330 404

Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Minister of Interior

Zayed Sport City, Arab Gulf Street, Near to Shaikh Zayed Mosque

PO Box: 398

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Fax: +971 2 402 2762 / +971 2 441 5780

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Al Bateen, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Fax +971 02 444 7766