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Date, Country, Type and ref. no. of communication |
Mandates | Summary | Replies received |
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Alleged prosecution for the expression of criticism about a government policy. Trial before a State security court, which allows a series of restrictions on procedural safeguards for the defendants and their lawyers, and deprive defendants of the right of appeal. Procedural flaws in the trial. The communication concerns the trial of Messrs. Ahmed Mansoor, Nasser bin Ghaith, Fahad Salim Dalk, Hassan Ali al-Khamis, and Ahmed Abdul Khaleq. The five activists were the subjects of an earlier communication dated 27 September 2011 (see above, case no ARE 6/2011). Messrs. Ahmed Mansoor and Nasser bin Ghaith were also the subjects of another earlier communication, dated 26 April 2011 (A/HRC/18/51, case ARE/4/2011, page 94). All five activists in this case are charged with violating Articles 176 and 8 of the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Penal Code for statements made on the UAE Hewar website – an online political discussion forum – that allegedly publicly insulted the President, vice-President and ruler of Dubai, as well as the crown Prince. The case is being prosecuted as a State security case subject to State security criminal procedure, which allegedly allows restrictions on procedural safeguards normally afforded to criminal defendants and requires that defendants be tried before the Federal Supreme Court as the court of first and only instance. Continuing and additional due process violations in the on-going trial of the five activists, include obstacles for the defendants’ lawyers to properly and effectively carry out their defence, lack of respect of the necessary fair trial guarantees, including the principle of equality of arms, and lack of independence and the necessary impartiality of the Court trying them due to its composition and impermanent character. Alleged victims: 4 More details... |
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