In a letter to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) called for the release of human rights activist Ahmed Mansoor ahead of Cop28.
We call once more for the release of Emirati human rights advocate Ahmed Mansoor, imprisoned since 2017, the US senator wrote on X along with a copy of the letter.
His release would signal the UAE’s commitment to human rights as global partners come together to address climate action, he added.
Here is the letter:
Congress of the United States
Washington, DC 20515
November 8, 2023
H.H Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Presidential Palace
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Dear Sheikh Mohamed,
As the United Arab Emirates (UAE) prepares to host the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 28) starting on November 30th, we write to call for the immediate and unconditional release of Emirati human rights defender, Ahmed Mansoor.
Mr. Mansoor was arrested in March 2017 and later sentenced to 10 years in prison on spurious charged related to social media posts calling for free expression, fair trials, and humane treatment of prisoners in the UAE. The charges also include communications with respected organizations such Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Since his arrest, UAE authorities have held Mansoor under poor conditions, including solitary confinement. Even while suffering under the very policies he advocated against, Mansoor remains steadfast in his advocacy conducting various hunger strikes during his more than six years of unjust detention. Human rights groups and United Nations human rights experts repeatedly have called for Ahmed Mansoor’s unconditional release.
Your nation’s hosting of a critical climate event is notable for drawing attention and solutions to global challenges. Releasing Ahmed Mansoor ahead of this high profile event would be a widely welcomed signal of benevolence and of the UAE’s openness and respect for basic freedom of speech. It would also help strengthen our important bilateral relations that includes many shared interests and respect for fundamental human freedoms.
Thank you for your prompt consideration of this matter.
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator
Sincerely,
James P. Me Dover
James P. McGovern Member of Congress
