Jordan: Authorities bear full responsibility for the fate of Emirati dissident "Khalaf Al-Rumaithi" after he was deported to Abu Dhabi before a court verdict

Skyline International for Human Rights holds the Jordanian government responsible for the fate of "Khalaf Al-Rumaithi," an Emirati businessman and one of the defendants in the UAE 94 case, after it deported him to Abu Dhabi without waiting for the court verdict that should have been issued against him this week. The Jordanian authorities' actions are dangerous and unjustified, and show their complicity with the UAE government at the expense of the opponent's life.

In a statement released today (Monday), Skyline says it is closely monitoring the news of the abrupt deportation of Emirati businessman and dissident "Khalaf Al-Rumaithi" by Jordanian authorities, without informing his attorney, and prior to the court's decision against him scheduled for May 16.

"Skyline" reports that it received exclusive statements from a close associate of "Al-Rumaithi" who preferred to remain anonymous. On behalf of the security apparatus of the United Arab Emirates and through the platform of the Arab police, he was arrested by the Jordanian police and brought to the Palace of Justice in Abdoun, the Jordanian police then arrested him and brought him to the Palace of Justice in Abdoun."

He added: "Al-Rumaithi's lawyer requested his release on the same day on a financial bail until the UAE authorities' request was decided, and the judge approved the bail request and released him after the court scheduled a meeting for 21.05.2023 to consider the extradition case, but his lawyer was surprised by his arrest once." The next day, Al-Rumaithi was arrested in a cafe in Amman by four plainclothes security guards, handcuffed and taken to jail without notifying his lawyer, and was told that the bail decision had been revoked and the hearing had been moved up to May 16.

Then "the next day, May 09, the lawyer was astonished when a decision was issued on the release of Dr. Al-Rumaithi, without notifying him. When the lawyer tried to understand what was going on, he was prevented from meeting his client, and the Jordanian security authority instructed him to check with the Arab Interpol, which also refused to provide any information about him or his whereabouts." .

The private source pointed out to "Skyline" that "the lawyer went to see the judge who had ordered his release on bail for the first time the next day, May 10, the judge informed him that he had released his client by judicial decision at the request of the prosecution, while he remained in custody with the same initial financial bail. However, the lawyer expressed surprise at the prosecutor's decision to refer his client to the governor of Oman, who decided to deport Al-Rumaithi abroad, but without naming a country.

The source confirmed, "Dr. Al-Rumaithi's whereabouts remained unknown until we received word that a Jordanian security agency deported him to the UAE on the morning of Friday, May 12, on an Emirati private plane that took him in."

It should be noted here that "Al-Rumaithi" left the United Arab Emirates in 2012 and is in Turkey after being charged in the case known in the media as "UAE 94," in which authorities accuse dozens of people of conspiring against the ruling regime, while the defendants in this case claim that they only wanted to realise democracy, reform state institutions, and give full space to freedom of opinion and expression.

Dr. "Al-Rumaithi" became a defendant in this case despite the lack of evidence against him and the fact that, until recently, he held a significant position in the United Arab Emirates' government. This was due to his refusal to testify as a witness for a number of detainees in the "UAE 94" case.

The Human Rights Foundation 'Skyline' confirms that the information received proves a serious violation of the Jordanian authorities' legislation, especially the security forces, as they prevented "Al-Rumaithi" from benefiting from the decision to release him on bail and also did not wait for the date of a decision on his arrest request. This reflects the complicity of these authorities with the government of the United Arab Emirates, which holds them fully responsible for the consequences of what will happen to Dr. "Al-Rumaithi".

Skyline reiterates its call to the UAE authorities to release all detainees, especially political prisoners, and allow them to exercise their fundamental rights, which include, foremost, freedom of opinion and expression without threat or persecution. It also asks them to clarify the fate of Dr. "Al-Rumaithi" and refrain from attacking him or his family as it concludes its statement.