Website to highlight UAE violations of human rights in Yemen,other Arab countries
SANAA, Feb. 20 (YPA) – Activists of human rights organizations have launched a virtual website (https://dubaiexpo2020.co), which highlights violations of the United Arab Emirates, on the occasion of hosting the World Expo 2020 in Dubai.
“The site represents a protest message against the international silence towards human rights violations in the UAE and the right to host international events, despite the violation of rights and freedoms,” Laurie Michel, a researcher at the Paris-based francophone Institute of Liberties said.
Michel indicated that the site sends a message to everyone who wants to participate in Expo 2020, that he should see the dark side of the harsh practices of the UAE against activists, women and academics.
It also reviews the war crimes committed by Abu Dhabi in Yemen and other countries, according to the official website of the Paris-based Francophone institute.
The site presents information that forms several sections of human rights violations committed by the UAE, both internally and externally, and includes interactive images of dozens of bloggers, human rights activists and opponents.
The website also presents examples of the list of arrests in the UAE, notably human rights defender Ahmed Mansour, who has been detained by the authorities since 20 March 2017, prominent human rights lawyer Mohammed al-Roken, detained since 17 July, and the academic Nasser bin Ghaith who has been imprisoned for 10 years since 29 March 2017 on charges such as spreading false information about UAE leaders and policies via his Twitter account.
The site includes various angles of the UAE’s support for terrorism, violations of women’s rights, slavery and money laundering, as well as its violations in the war that it is leading with Saudi Arabia in Yemen, and its sponsorship of the slave trade in Libya.
“The UAE is trying to provide the gateway for hosting the Expo 2020 and similar international events with coverage of its massive human rights violations and the perpetration of war crimes in Yemen and other countries,” The Paris-based institute said.
The International Human Rights Institute has confirmed that the UAE authorities have been continuously attacking freedom of expression and association since 2011, and that thousands of migrant workers there are highly vulnerable to forced labour.
The World Expo is held every five years and lasts for a maximum of six months, attracting millions of visitors.
E.M