Date
Type
Case No
Country
ARE 1/2015
20/02/2015 United Arab
JUA
Emirates
Mandate(s)
Summary of the allegation transmitted
Reply
Arbitrary
detention;
Disappearances;
Human rights
defenders;
Independence of
judges and
lawyers; Torture;
03/03/2015
Alleged arbitrary arrest, incommunicado detention and enforced disappearance of
three women, which may be related to their activities on the internet in defence of
their brother in prison after an unfair trial. According to the information received, on
15 February 2015, Ms. Asma Khalifa al-Suwaidi, Ms. Meriem Khalifa al-Suwaidi and
Ms. AlYazyeh Khalifa al-Suwaidi, who are sisters, went to the State Security premises
in Abu Dhabi, the first in the morning and the two others in the afternoon, after they
had been summoned. The three sisters have not been seen since and their family is
allegedly unaware of their fate or whereabouts. The sisters had been active online,
defending their brother Dr. Issa Khalifa al-Suwaidi who was sentenced to 10 years in
prison after an alleged unfair trial often referred to as the “UAE 94 trial”. Serious
concern is expressed regarding the fate and whereabouts of the three sisters, as well as
about their physical and psychological integrity. Dr. Issa Khalifa al-Suwaidi was the
subject of two previous communications sent on 7 November 2012, see A/HRC/22/67,
case no. ARE 7/2012, and 16 April 2013, see A/HRC/24/21, case no. ARE 1/2013, as
well as an Opinion of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, sent on 9
September 2013, see A/HRC/WGAD/2013/60.
A/HRC/29/50
65
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