Skyline calls on the international community to take action towards the growing violations against political detainees in Emirati prisons

STOCKHOLM - Skyline International expresses its deep concern at the continued deteriorating conditions of detainees inside Emirati prisons. It further blamed the international community for ignoring dozens of calls made by human rights organizations about the atrocity of violations committed by prison staff inside those prisons.

In a statement issued today, Tuesday, Skyline states that, new details revealed by human rights activist Ahmed Mansour, 51, through messages leaked from inside his prison, in which the latter described the harsh conditions of his detention that he has been experiencing since his arrest in 2017 until now.

The details - published by several media outlets - included that the Emirati authorities transferred "Mansour" to the notorious "Al-Sadr" prison near Abu Dhabi, and denied him access to basic medical care and confiscated his reading glasses.

For its part, Skyline says that this leak is not the first for "Mansour". The Brazilian prisoner who was a detainee in the UAE prisons, Calio Castro, had previvously spoken about the details of letters written by the human rights activist, Ahmed Mansour, 51, from his prison, in which the latter described the harsh conditions of his detention that he has been suffering from since his arrest in 2017 until now.

Castro revealed that Mansour asked him to convey a handwritten letter abroad, in which he mentions the details of his arrest and the conditions of his imprisonment, and that he agreed to this after thinking because of the grave risk he may expose to if he was revealed before leaving the Emirates. Castro added that he hid the message with his shoes for four days, before arriving in his country, Brazil, after completing his nine-month prison term

Castro confirmed that the Emirati activist "is living in a shocking, sad and painful situation, and that he looks years older than his age." He added, "I was put in cell number four, and Mansour was in cell number one. We were screaming from the ceiling to talk to each other and communication between us was very difficult. I was hitting the door because I wanted to do my phone calls and I wanted to call my family and they wouldn't let me, then it was First contact with Mansour.

Castro revealed that Mansour asked him to convey a handwritten letter abroad, in which he mentions the details of his arrest and the conditions of his imprisonment, and that he agreed to this after thinking because of the grave risk he may expose to if he was revealed before leaving the Emirates. Castro added that he hid the message with his shoes for four days, before arriving in his country, Brazil, after completing his nine-month prison term

"Castro" indicated that he realizes now, about 10 months after his return to his country from Emirati prisons, that informing public opinion of the truth may be more beneficial to save Mansour and other forgotten prisoners in UAE prisons.

For its part, "Skyline" states that the Emirati authorities holds "Ahmed Mansoor" incommunicado for most of his arrest, and that they have deliberately isolated him from other prisoners, and denied him access to a bed and mattress since his imprisonment in March 2017. They also prevent him from reading and any actual contact with the outside world, including regular visits or calls with his wife and four children in clear violation of prisoners' rights guaranteed in multiple international conventions.

The Emirati authorities arrested Ahmed Mansour, 51, on March 15, 2017. On May 2018, the State Security Department of the Abu Dhabi Court of Appeals sentenced "Mansoor" to ten years in prison. On May 2018, the State Security Department of the Abu Dhabi Court of Appeals sentenced "Mansoor" to ten years in prison on charges related entirely to his human rights activities. On December 31, 2018, the Federal Supreme Court upheld the sentence against him and annulled his last chance for early release. The government also refused requests to publish the indictment and court rulings.

Accordingly, the human rights foundation "Skyline" stresses that the UAE's practices against the activist "Mansoor" and other detainees seriously violate the provisions of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which the UAE ratified in 2012. These provisions oblige the signatories to provide care and a decent life for prisoners inside prisons.

Skyline concludes its statement by calling on the international community and UN agencies, including the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights, the Working Group on the issue of arbitrary detention, and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, to play their legal and moral role, visit Emirati prisons and form a neutral committee to review the conditions of detainees Inside those prisons, and. communicate immediately with the UAE government and pressure it to release all political detainees.