Abu Dhabi: The UAE on Wednesday responded to a recent report issued by Amnesty International about freedom of expression in the country, saying that it had “published a one-sided and inaccurate report”.
The statement, issued by Amnah Al Muhairi, Director of the Human Rights department of the Foreign Ministry, notes that the report “repeats familiar politically motivated allegations from groups seeking to undermine and overthrow the UAE’s successful model of a stable, peaceful, tolerant and diverse society which has created economic opportunities for millions of people from all over the world.”
“We are surprised that Amnesty has decided to publish this report and reject our answers to various questions raised by them. In our view this undermines the report’s credibility and the statements made in it. It is disappointing that the report completely borrows the narrative of the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates in its version of the developments it portrays. We are surprised that there is no scrutiny of this narrative. A report of this length and magnitude requires time to review and respond to thoughtfully; however, a cursory glance highlights many inaccurate and flawed allegations.
“The report erroneously begins its narrative with the political petition but does not mention the fact that the majority of signatories have not been affected by State actions as a result.
“We, however, must believe that an organisation of Amnesty International’s stature presents this report in good faith, but persuasive actors seeking to advance a political campaign to impugn the reputation of the UAE have succeeded in putting this version across. In these difficult times in the region, the UAE will continue to protect its stability and security in the face of the Muslim Brotherhood and the campaigns of other extremist groups. Unfortunately, issues relating to human rights and political freedoms have been systematically manipulated in our region in order to progress political ends.
“The UAE Constitution enshrines the rights and freedoms of all citizens, including equality, freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly and association, freedom of religion and belief, the prohibition of torture, the independence of the judiciary, and the right to a fair trial, including the presumption of innocence and the right to counsel. The UAE is committed to continually improving the implementation of human rights.
“The arrest and detention of the individuals raised in the report resulted from thorough investigations which found that the accused were not part of a peaceful association calling for political debate, but rather were members of an organisation aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood whose objective is to seek the overthrow of the UAE Government. No state can simply stand idly by in the face of such a threat to its national integrity. Our replies to Amnesty’s questions have reflected this fact and we are disappointed that they were not given due weight The individuals in question were tried in accordance with the due process guarantees under the UAE Constitution and laws.
“Representatives of the Emirates Human Rights Association visited the accused on a regular basis and found no evidence of any mistreatment. Moreover, the allegations which were raised during the trial were addressed by the Court and found to be without merit. The decisions of the judicial process of any State must be respected.
“The threat posed by extremist organisations in our region is ail too real, as evidenced by ongoing violent conflicts which are causing untold human suffering. The UAE represents an alternative vision of a stable, peaceful, moderate and modernising society which offers a better life to millions through promoting economic growth.
“In a remarkably short period of time, the UAE has made impressive progress in developing its governance institutions and building a tolerant and multicultural society in which people of more than 200 different nationalities live harmoniously together. The UAE will continue its work to strengthen the protection of human rights.”
