UAE confirms man held on religion charges
AFP
ABU DHABI- The United Arab Emirates on Saturday confirmed the arrest earlier this month of an Emirati on charges of religious incitement, a detention denounced by local and international rights groups.
Hassan Mohammed al-Hammadi was detained in Khor Fakkan in the emirate of Sharjah on charges of "aggression" towards a mosque imam after "seizing the microphone to encourage the faithful in breach of the rules in force," an interior ministry statement said.
Hammadi "has all legal rights, including his right to contact his wife, family and lawyer," a ministry spokesperson said. "Hammadi's family and lawyer can visit him at any time."
Amnesty International on Wednesday called Hammadi's detention "worrying."
"Hammadi's arrest and incommunicado detention is particularly worrying in view of previous evidence of torture of detainees held by the Amn al-Dawla (UAE's state security service)," said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa director.
"The UAE authorities must immediately disclose his whereabouts, ensure he is not tortured or otherwise ill-treated and allow him access to his family and lawyer."
Also on Wednesday, the Civil Society Forum of the Gulf demanded Hammadi's release and denounced his "arbitrary arrest" for having making a public speech on February 4 in support of the popular revolt in Egypt.
Sources close to Hammadi said he criticised "the restrictions on freedom of expression in the UAE" at the end of weekly prayers at Khor Fakkan in Sharjah, one of seven members of the UAE federation.
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Amnesty International on Wednesday called Hammadi's detention "worrying."
"Hammadi's arrest and incommunicado detention is particularly worrying in view of previous evidence of torture of detainees held by the Amn al-Dawla (UAE's state security service)," said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa director.
"The UAE authorities must immediately disclose his whereabouts, ensure he is not tortured or otherwise ill-treated and allow him access to his family and lawyer."
Also on Wednesday, the Civil Society Forum of the Gulf demanded Hammadi's release and denounced his "arbitrary arrest" for having making a public speech on February 4 in support of the popular revolt in Egypt.
Sources close to Hammadi said he criticised "the restrictions on freedom of expression in the UAE" at the end of weekly prayers at Khor Fakkan in Sharjah, one of seven members of the UAE federation.
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