Pro-Palestine Activists arrested in Gulf States
WORLD, Nov. 26 (YPA) – Human rights sources revealed campaign arrests in the UAE and the Kingdom of Bahrain against activists over their support of the Palestinian cause in the midst of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.
The Emirates Detainees Advocacy Center has received information indicating that the authorities in Abu Dhabi have detained the activist Mansour Al-Ahmadi, who serves as the head of the Al-Quds Youth Committee in the UAE and holds the honorary title of “Al-Quds Ambassador.”
Sources within the UAE have informed the Center that Al-Ahmadi was summoned for questioning by the State Security apparatus in the capital, Abu Dhabi. Following the interrogation, he mysteriously disappeared, leading to suspicions that he was apprehended and subsequently transported to one of the undisclosed, secret prisons.
According to sources speaking on behalf of the Center, Al-Ahmadi has reportedly experienced enforced disappearance, with authorities, thus far, denying him the right to communicate with legal representation.
The sources from EDAC have indicated that the motives behind Al-Ahmadi’s arrest remain unknown at this juncture.
In a related development, the Emirates Detainees Advocacy Center and the MENA Rights Group have escalated the case of Al-Ahmadi to the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances. The working group has, in turn, dispatched a letter to the UAE authorities; however, as of now, there has been no response from the authorities.
It is noteworthy that Al-Ahmadi has previously faced arrest and served approximately nine years in prison in connection with the case widely known in the media as “UAE 94.” Arrested on October 12, 2012, he was initially sentenced to seven years but remained in detention until his release in April 2021.
Al-Ahmadi is recognized as one of the prominent young figures in the UAE. He has served as the deputy head of the National Union of UAE Students, earning him the title of “Al-Quds Ambassador.” Additionally, he played a pivotal role in establishing the International Al-Quds Youth Committee, where he chaired the committee’s UAE branch.
Furthermore, he spearheaded the implementation of Ambassadors of Jerusalem program, consisting of ten specialized courses on Jerusalem.
E.M