“UAE94” detainee Khalid al-Nuaimi arbitrarily detained since 2012
Name(s):
Khalid Mohammad al-Nuaimi
Status:
Forcibly disappeared
Year of birth:
1951
Profession:
Head of the Guidance and Social Counselling Association
Nationality:
Emirati
Date of arrest:
On July 16, 2012, Khalid Mohammad al-Nuaimi was arrested as part of the UAE’s comprehensive crackdown on the “UAE94”. On July 2, 2013, the Federal Supreme Court sentenced Al Shaiba Al Nuaimi to ten years’ imprisonment, for acts related to the exercise of his rights to freedom of expression and of association. In 2013, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued Opinion No. 60/2013, urging the authorities to release him immediately. However, he remains arbitrarily detained in Al Razeen prison.
In March 2011, the UAE carried out a comprehensive crackdown on the Reform and Social Guidance Association (Al Islah). In 2013, the UAE then engaged in a controversial mass trial of 94 individuals commonly referred to as the “UAE94”; 94 intellectuals, activists, and human rights defenders who had openly criticised the Emirati government. All of them were accused of having ties with Al Islah.
On July 16, 2012, al-Nuaimi was arrested as part of the “UAE94”. Subsequently, he was detained in solitary confinement in a secret location for eight months, where he was subjected to torture and ill-treatment. During these eight months, Al Shaiba Al Nuaimi was deprived of his right to see his lawyer and to receive visits by his family.
On March 4, 2013, the trial of al-Nuaimi before the State Security Chamber within the Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi began. He was informed of the vague charges brought against him, namely “establishing and running a secret organisation seeking to oppose the basic principles of the UAE system of governance and to seize power and having links and affiliations to organisations with foreign agendas”. On March 9, 2013, he was transferred to Al Razeen prison.
On July 2, 2013, al-Nuaimi was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, followed by three years’ probation. He was denied the right to appeal to a higher jurisdiction.
On November 22, 2013, The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention adopted Opinion No. 60/2013 and considered the detention of Al Shaiba Al Nuaimi to be arbitrary. It described, inter alia, that the arrest had resulted from the exercise of the rights to freedom of opinion and expression and to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
Despite the request of the Working Group to release al-Nuaimi and to provide him with compensation, he is currently still detained at Al Razeen prison.
On May 21, 2014, a letter jointly written by family members of “UAE94” detainees was delivered to the Minister of Interior. It detailed the violations suffered by the detainees in Al Razeen prison, such as mistreatment by prison guards, among others, regular placement in solitary confinement and malnutrition. The Ministry has not responded to the letter, nor have other complaints addressed to police officials, prison administration members or UAE leaders been answered.
On March 9, 2021, MENA Rights Group submitted follow-up information on al-Nuaimi’s situation to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. Since the issuance of the Opinion, his family is frequently prevented from visiting him for several months and he has been placed in solitary confinement.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2020, al-Nuaimi’s family has been prevented from visiting him in prison, despite the protective glass barriers put up between the detainees and visitors. He is deprived of calls with his family for weeks at a time.
On June 12, 2023, al-Nuaimi made a final call to his family from within Al Razeen Prison. Since then, his family has not received any communication from him. He is being held incommunicado since that date, with no access or contact with the outside world. Despite efforts made by his family to call Al Razeen Prison to obtain information about his situation, they did not receive an answer.
On September 12, 2023, MENA Rights Group requested the urgent intervention of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, calling on them to urge the Emirati authorities to take action to clarify al-Nuaimi’s fate and whereabouts.
| Name(s): |
Khalid Mohammad al-Nuaimi
|
| Status: |
Forcibly disappeared
|
| Year of birth: |
1951
|
| Profession: |
Head of the Guidance and Social Counselling Association
|
| Nationality: |
Emirati
|
| Date of arrest: |
|
In March 2011, the UAE carried out a comprehensive crackdown on the Reform and Social Guidance Association (Al Islah). In 2013, the UAE then engaged in a controversial mass trial of 94 individuals commonly referred to as the “UAE94”; 94 intellectuals, activists, and human rights defenders who had openly criticised the Emirati government. All of them were accused of having ties with Al Islah.
On July 16, 2012, al-Nuaimi was arrested as part of the “UAE94”. Subsequently, he was detained in solitary confinement in a secret location for eight months, where he was subjected to torture and ill-treatment. During these eight months, Al Shaiba Al Nuaimi was deprived of his right to see his lawyer and to receive visits by his family.
On March 4, 2013, the trial of al-Nuaimi before the State Security Chamber within the Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi began. He was informed of the vague charges brought against him, namely “establishing and running a secret organisation seeking to oppose the basic principles of the UAE system of governance and to seize power and having links and affiliations to organisations with foreign agendas”. On March 9, 2013, he was transferred to Al Razeen prison.
On July 2, 2013, al-Nuaimi was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, followed by three years’ probation. He was denied the right to appeal to a higher jurisdiction.
On November 22, 2013, The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention adopted Opinion No. 60/2013 and considered the detention of Al Shaiba Al Nuaimi to be arbitrary. It described, inter alia, that the arrest had resulted from the exercise of the rights to freedom of opinion and expression and to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
Despite the request of the Working Group to release al-Nuaimi and to provide him with compensation, he is currently still detained at Al Razeen prison.
On May 21, 2014, a letter jointly written by family members of “UAE94” detainees was delivered to the Minister of Interior. It detailed the violations suffered by the detainees in Al Razeen prison, such as mistreatment by prison guards, among others, regular placement in solitary confinement and malnutrition. The Ministry has not responded to the letter, nor have other complaints addressed to police officials, prison administration members or UAE leaders been answered.
On March 9, 2021, MENA Rights Group submitted follow-up information on al-Nuaimi’s situation to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. Since the issuance of the Opinion, his family is frequently prevented from visiting him for several months and he has been placed in solitary confinement.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2020, al-Nuaimi’s family has been prevented from visiting him in prison, despite the protective glass barriers put up between the detainees and visitors. He is deprived of calls with his family for weeks at a time.
On June 12, 2023, al-Nuaimi made a final call to his family from within Al Razeen Prison. Since then, his family has not received any communication from him. He is being held incommunicado since that date, with no access or contact with the outside world. Despite efforts made by his family to call Al Razeen Prison to obtain information about his situation, they did not receive an answer.
On September 12, 2023, MENA Rights Group requested the urgent intervention of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, calling on them to urge the Emirati authorities to take action to clarify al-Nuaimi’s fate and whereabouts.
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