Home
Politics
Nearly 2,000 Syrians staged a demonstration outside the Syrian consulate in Dubai on February 10, according to opposition activists.
The Emirati authorities recalled several dozen of the protesters and asked them to sign a pledge not to take part in any future demonstrations.
But days later, they were summoned by the immigration authority, which took their passports and cancelled their visas without explanations, the same sources said.
Some were given a time limit of up to around 10 days to leave the country, while the authorities confiscated the documents of others whose residencies have not yet been cancelled.
HRW said on Friday that the United Arab Emirates had revoked the residency permits of about 50 Syrians for taking part in the protest, even though the UAE authorities "did not accuse the protesters of any acts of violence."
"The UAE calls on Syrian President Assad to respect the right of peaceful protesters, yet it is expelling Syrians from its country for exercising this basic right," said Sarah Leah Whitson, HRW's Middle East director.
"These expulsions show that Emirati authorities are intolerant of any protest or expression of dissent on UAE soil even if it is not geared toward them," Whitson added.
The UAE, which has strict conditions on demonstrations, is one of the six Gulf Cooperation Council states that decided to recall their envoys from Damascus and expel Syrian ambassadors from their countries in protest at Syria's lethal crackdown on dissent.
"At least 10 of the protesters, some with family members in the UAE, had to leave the country, with some of them going to Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar," the New York-based group said.
A Syrian activist contacted by AFP said many others remain in the Gulf country awaiting a final decision on their status even after their permits had been cancelled and their jobs lost.
HRW said that Syrian nationals forced out of the UAE feared being returned to their country where their personal safety was significantly at risk.
"These Syrians cannot go to Syria, and it is cruel for the UAE authorities to be kicking them out in this great time of need," Whitson said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Emirati authorities recalled several dozen of the protesters and asked them to sign a pledge not to take part in any future demonstrations.
But days later, they were summoned by the immigration authority, which took their passports and cancelled their visas without explanations, the same sources said.
Some were given a time limit of up to around 10 days to leave the country, while the authorities confiscated the documents of others whose residencies have not yet been cancelled.
HRW said on Friday that the United Arab Emirates had revoked the residency permits of about 50 Syrians for taking part in the protest, even though the UAE authorities "did not accuse the protesters of any acts of violence."
"The UAE calls on Syrian President Assad to respect the right of peaceful protesters, yet it is expelling Syrians from its country for exercising this basic right," said Sarah Leah Whitson, HRW's Middle East director.
"These expulsions show that Emirati authorities are intolerant of any protest or expression of dissent on UAE soil even if it is not geared toward them," Whitson added.
The UAE, which has strict conditions on demonstrations, is one of the six Gulf Cooperation Council states that decided to recall their envoys from Damascus and expel Syrian ambassadors from their countries in protest at Syria's lethal crackdown on dissent.
"At least 10 of the protesters, some with family members in the UAE, had to leave the country, with some of them going to Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar," the New York-based group said.
A Syrian activist contacted by AFP said many others remain in the Gulf country awaiting a final decision on their status even after their permits had been cancelled and their jobs lost.
HRW said that Syrian nationals forced out of the UAE feared being returned to their country where their personal safety was significantly at risk.
"These Syrians cannot go to Syria, and it is cruel for the UAE authorities to be kicking them out in this great time of need," Whitson said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
