17 July 2021 marks 11 years since the detention of Mohammed Al-Roken, a prominent Emirati lawyer and human rights defender.

 Al-Roken remains in al-Razeen prison, Abu Dhabi where he already spent his ten-year sentence. However, he is still held behind his release date.

Prior to his arrest, Mohammed Al-Roken regularly provided legal assistance to detained activists who defended human rights and fundamental freedoms. 

On 17 July 2012, the UAE authorities arrested Al-Roken while he was travelling to a police station to report the disappearance of his son and son-in-law. He was subjected to enforced disappearance in an undisclosed location for the first three months after his arrest. 

On 2 July 2013, he was sentenced to ten years imprisonment with three additional years of probation. 

While imprisoned, Al-Roken has complained to his lawyers of being subjected to various forms of physical and psychological torture.

Although Mohammed Al-Roken had spent his prison term, he did not restore his freedom as part of the UAE’s indefinite detention policy, which was systematically used to suppress the voices of those brave enough to speak out against injustice. 

The Emirati government keeps at least 60 prisoners beyond their release dates, including 55 members of the UAE 94.