MDE 25/001/2007
UA 54/07
Incommunicado detention/fear of torture or ill-treatment
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES : ’Abdullah Sultan al-Subaihat (m), aged 46, agricultural engineer
06 March 2007
Agricultural engineer ’Abdullah Sultan al-Subaihat was arrested on 8 February by Amn al-Dawla (State Security) officers, at the agricultural administration department in the Emirate of ’Ajman, which he runs. They took him to his house, searched it and confiscated a number of books, then took him away handcuffed and blindfolded. He has not been charged with any offence, and it is not known why he was arrested. He is thought to be detained in the capital, Abu Dhabi. He is held incommunicado, putting him at risk of torture or ill-treatment.
He owns a small farm, which is also said to have been searched ; it is not known whether anything was taken.
’Abdullah Sultan al-Subaihat is the head of ’Ajman’s agricultural administration department. He was arrested on 2 August 2005, for reasons unknown, along with two other people (see UA 218/05, MDE 25/004/2005, 23 August 2005). All three were held incommunicado, and eventually released without charge on 25 October 2005.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Political suspects in the UAE are commonly held incommunicado in undisclosed locations. Those arrested by the Amn al-Dawla are reportedly often kept in solitary confinement. One man, Salem al-Baloushi, was reportedly kept in solitary confinement for six years, from 1994 to 2000, when he was released without charge. A few political detainees have been allowed to make brief and limited phone calls to their families.
RECOMMENDED ACTION : Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in English or your own language :
expressing concern that ’Abdullah Sultan al-Subaihat, who was arrested by Amn al-Dawla officers on 8 February, is being held incommunicado, putting him at risk of torture or ill-treatment ;
asking the authorities why he was arrested, and urging them to ensure that he is given access to lawyers of his own choosing, his family and any medical care that he may require ;
urging the authorities to charge him promptly with a recognisably criminal offence, or else release him.
APPEALS TO :
Vice-President and Prime Minister
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al-Maktoum
Office of the Prime Minister
POB 73311
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
Fax : +971 4 330 4000
Salutation : Your Highness
Minister of the Interior
His Excellency
Major-General Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Ministry of the Interior
PO Box 398
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
Fax : + 971 2 4414938
Salutation : Your Excellency
Minister of Foreign Affairs
His Excellency
Shaikh ’Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
PO Box 1
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
Fax : + 971 4 228 0979
Salutation : Your Excellency
Émirats Arabes Unis
73 Av.F.Roosevelt
1050 Bruxelles
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 17 April 2007.
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