Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has issued a statement denying allegations levelled by various non-governmental organisations regarding the case of Emirati citizen Ahmad Mansoor.
The statement, issued this week, refuted all allegations, underscoring that such claims are baseless and have been spread by non-governmental organisations in reports that aim to distort and fabricate facts according to their particular agenda.
The Ministry affirmed that all measures taken by the UAE judiciary against Mansoor, beginning from the investigation and leveling of charges against him and concluding with the court’s ruling, came within the legal framework stipulated by relevant national legislation. The court also appointed a lawyer to represent Mansoor despite his refusal, and it covered his legal costs.
The Ministry indicated that the verdict issued by the court against Mansoor came after a careful examination of the crimes committed by the aforementioned, including inciting hatred, disturbing public order, and providing several organisations with false information that would damage the reputation and standing of the UAE. Mansoor also deliberately spread incorrect and malicious statements and rumours that would disturb public security and harm the public interest.
Accordingly, the Court of First Instance issued a ruling in 2018 to imprison Mansoor for a period of 10 years. Within the framework of the procedures put in place to uphold his legal rights, Mansoor appealed the verdict before the Federal Supreme Court, which confirmed the ruling previously issued against Mansoor.
Furthermore, the Ministry stated that while serving his sentence, Mansoor receives the necessary medical care and examinations and is in good health. The most recent exam took place in November 2019. The Ministry also affirmed that Mansoor is entitled to visits by family members, who periodically visit Mansoor in line with regulations in force in penal institutions for organised family visitation. The most recent visit to Mansoor also occurred in November 2019.
In this context, the Ministry underscored the need for non-governmental organisations that have promoted these misleading accusations to operate with accuracy and objectivity while obtaining information from verified sources only. The Ministry also called for these organisations to act with professionalism and avoid fabricating information.
The Ministry added that Emirati society is one of tolerance in which all members live together in harmony while committed to the values enshrined within the UAE Constitution and UAE law, which guarantee freedoms such as the freedom of expression insofar as the law is not broken and social stability is not affected.
The UAE maintains an unwavering commitment to and respect for human rights as put forth by the country’s charters and continues to cooperate with the United Nations and international entities in upholding global commitments created for this purpose.
