UAE denies jailed Ahmed Mansoor is on ‘hunger strike’

By Rajive Singh

GENEVA 9 May 2019: The UAE has dismissed as “false” the recent allegations related to Ahmed Mansoor’s “hunger strike”, affirming that he is being served regular meals, undergoing all necessary medical examinations, and generally in good health.

This came in a statement issued by the UAE’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, UN, in Geneva in response to the false pretenses that Mansoor, an Emirati, remains on a hunger strike, said Emirates News Agency.

The statement affirmed that Mansoor, who is in jail for inciting hatred and defaming the UAE online, underwent medical examinations in April 2019, and his family members are able to visit him regularly in prison, in line with the standard rules and regulations followed by punitive and correctional institutions.

“Mansoor was twice visited by his family in April 2019 and his family is fully aware of his medical condition,” the statement added.

“The UAE’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations has learned about the statement issued by the Human Rights Council Special Procedures on May 7th on Mr. Ahmed Mansoor. Accordingly the mission indicates that the UAE has refuted all allegations involving Ahmed Mansoor’s case, dismissing them as false and unsubstantiated pretenses propagated by non-governmental organisations in their reports, with the aim of distorting and falsifying facts,” the statement affirmed.

At the end of the statement, the mission underlines the UAE’s commitment to respecting human rights, based on its constitution and national legislation and in accordance with its international obligations, as well as its keenness to strengthen its cooperation with the UN human rights authorities to promote and protect human rights, as part of their functions and mandates and within the framework of relevant UN resolutions.

Man detained for publishing false, misleading information

On 20th March 2017, the Public Prosecution for Cybercrimes (PPC) announced the detention of Ahmed Mansoor Al Shehhi, pending further investigation over the use of social media sites to publish false information and rumors, as well as promoting sectarian and hate-incited agenda.

The PPC ordered the arrest of Al Shehhi, based on documented information that he used the social media sites to publish false and misleading information that harm national unity and social harmony and damage the country’s reputation.

It said the Attorney General is following up the investigation procedures and results.

Allegations about Ahmed Mansoor are ‘totally incorrect’ : MoFAIC

On 29th March of 2017, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) reviewed the press release published by the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council on 28th March 2017 regarding the allegations of arbitrary detention of Ahmed Mansoor and his unknown location, and the unspecified charges against him.

A MoFAIC statement said it wishes to clarify the following:- On Monday, 20th March 2017, the Public Prosecution for Cybercrimes ordered the arrest of Mr. Ahmed Mansoor on the background of the charges of promoting false and shaded information through the Internet and serving agendas aimed at spreading hatred and sectarianism. He has been confronted with the charges against him and held in custody at the Central Prison in Abu Dhabi. He has the freedom to hire a lawyer and that his family has full accesses to the place of confinement and is allowed to visit him, in accordance with the procedures followed in the penal institution.

The allegations contained in the press release about Ahmed Mansour’s arbitrary detention, the lack of knowledge of his place of detention and the allegations of not specifying the nature of the charges against him are totally incorrect.

The MoFAIC called on the Special Procedures Group and in accordance with its code of conduct to be precise and objective, to investigate the accuracy of the information noted in their press release, and to verify the authenticity of the information from their official and reliable sources and to refrain from publishing the statements and politicized reports of some NGOs.