HRC 60 side-event : Silencing dissent: mass trials in the United Arab Emirates

On Tuesday 2 October, CAP Freedom of Conscience co-sponsored an event at the Geneva Press Club on “Silencing dissent: mass trials in the United Arab Emirates”. During the 59th session of the Human Rights Council, the organisation had hosted a similar side event at the United Nations to highlight the crisis of arbitrary detention in the United Arab Emirates following mass trials, and to examine the country’s persistent failure to comply with international standards.

Hamad Al-Shamsi, Executive Director of the Emirates Detainees Advocacy Centre (EDAC), and Ahmed Al-Nuaimi, an exiled member of the “UAE94” trial, voiced frustration that the issue remains on the table after years of discussion in multiple forums, with no meaningful progress. They welcomed interventions by UN Special Rapporteurs but stressed that the United Arab Emirates continues to ignore international criticism and pursue mass convictions under the guise of counter-terrorism.

While the regime seeks to promote a positive international image by hosting major events such as COP28 and global sporting competitions, both speakers underlined the importance of sustained pressure, calling on victims and human rights advocates to persist in drawing attention to abuses.