The United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, stated that the UAE authorities continue to detain human rights defenders for extended periods after their sentences have ended.

In a video released by Sanid Campaign, Lawlor shed light on Emirati prisoners of conscience who are arbitrarily detained in UAE prisons beyond their release date, calling for their immediate release.

They are among human rights defenders mentioned in my 20/21 report to the UN General Assembly on the long term detention of human rights defenders, six of whom are held in the UAE, she said in the video.

She pointed out that special procedures mandate-holders have written several letters to the UAE government concerning Mr. al-Roken, while other mandates have taken up others in the “UAE94” arrests which was deemed arbitrary by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in 2013.

My mandate has addressed three more who remain imprisoned just after serving their 10-year sentences, she stated.

I’ve written about these and other human rights defenders to the UAE government and expressed my serious concern. 

She concluded by calling on the UAE government to immediately release these six human rights defenders who should never have been arrested and sentenced in the first place.