Sir
Earlier this month, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers Gabriela Knaul published the findings of her 9 day visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Ms Knaul concluded that the UAE judiciary is under the ‘de facto’ control of the government, that lawyers are working without detailed understanding of a critical state security law that was enacted but never published, that lawyers are threatened, harassed, pressured and placed under surveillance by the UAE authorities. and that evidence against defendants is “sometimes manipulated and fabricated by the police or other security agencies and the prosecution.” Ms Knaul also stated that there is “credible information and evidence” that detainees are arrested without warrant, blindfolded, taken to unknown places, held incommunicado, sometimes for months, and tortured..
Among the cases that were brought to Ms Knaul’s attention were the convictions last year of a number of lawyers on charges of “plotting to overthrow the state” after an unfair trial marred by irregularities. Those convicted to lengthy sentences included former judges Ahmed al-Zaabi and Mohammed Saeed al-Abdouli, prominent human rights lawyers Dr Mohammed al-Mansoori and Dr Mohammed al-Roken, and their lawyer Salem al-Shehhi who was arrested at the offices of the State Security Prosecutor where he sought information about his clients. All were arbitrarily detained for months and complained of being tortured in detention including through prolonged solitary confinement, physical beating, and sleep deprivation.
Ms Knaul was also prevented from visiting Qatari physician Mahmoud al-Jaidah in prison despite expressing grave concerns about torture and due process in his case. Dr al-Jaidah was arbitrarily detained for 9 months in a secret prison in Abu Dhabi before he was charged. The verdict in his case will be announced on 3 March although until now, no less than three lawyers have ceased to represent him within days of being instructed and no lawyer has been permitted to visit him.
We stand in solidarity with the lawyers in the UAE and call upon the authorities to unconditionally release them and quash their convictions. The UAE must understand that its persecution of members of the legal profession and its manipulation of the judiciary has damaged its reputation more than the words and actions of any single dissident.
Yours
Nicholas Fluck, President of the Law Society of England and Wales
Nicholas Lavender QC, Chair, Bar Council
Professor Sara Chandler, Chair, Human Rights Committee of the Law Society of England and Wales
Kirsty Brimelow QC, Chair, Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales
Sir Geoffrey Bindman QC (Hon)
Hugh Southey QC, Matrix Chambers
Joel Bennathen QC, Doughty Street Chambers
Edward Fitzgerald QC, Doughty Street Chambers
Francis FitzGibbon QC, Doughty Street Chambers
Adam Wagner, 1 Crown Office Row Chambers
David Chirico, Barrister, 1 Pump Court Chambers
Ben Cooper, Barrister, Doughty Street Chambers
Laura Dubinsky, Barrister, Doughty Street Chambers
Caoilfhionn Gallagher, Barrister, Doughty Street Chambers
Nichola Higgins, Barrister, Doughty Street Chambers
David Lemer, Barrister, Doughty Street Chambers
Maryam Mir, Barrister, Doughty Street Chambers
Professor William Bowring, Barrister, Field Court Chambers
Jennifer Blair, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Bethan Harris, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Richard Harvey, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Sean Horstead, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Di Middleton, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Jo Wilding, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Adam Pipe, Barrister, No 8 Chambers
Mark Jones, Barrister, St Ives Chambers
Alison Stanley, Solicitor, Bindmans LLP
Matt Foot, Solicitor, Birnberg Peirce & Partners
Omar Geloo, Solicitor, Birnberg Peirce & Partners
Nigel Leskin, Solicitor, Birnberg Peirce & Partners
Alastair Lyon, Solicitor, Birnberg Peirce & Partners
Sajida Malik, Solicitor, Birnberg Peirce & Partners
Sonia Routledge, Solicitor, Birnberg Peirce & Partners
Stephen Medley, Solicitor, Broudie Jackson Canter
Jamie Beagent, Solicitor, Leigh Day
Kate Egerton, Solicitor, Leigh Day
Mandeep Duhra, Solicitor, TRP Solicitors Ltd
Fahad Ansari, Solicitor
Syed Rashidul Islam, Solicitor
Shoaib M Khan, Solicitor
Naqeeb Sadiq, Solicitor