Washington, July 19 (ANI): A leading Emirati human rights lawyer has been arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), sparking condemnation from international rights organizations.
Mohamed Al-Roken, a member of Amnesty International and a former head of the Emirati lawyer's association, who had called for governmental reform in the largely authoritarian nation near the start of the region's Arab Spring protests, was detained by UAE authorities, while some of his clients were subsequently arrested and convicted earlier this year with national security offenses.
His arrest brings the total number of political activists and human rights lawyers detained since the spring to at least 15.
Amnesty called Roken and fellow lawyer Mohamed Al-Mansoori, who was detained on Monday, prisoners of conscience and urged authorities to release them.
"We believe [they are being] held solely on account of their defense work as lawyers and other peaceful human rights activities," the Wall Street Journal quoted Ann Harrison, Amnesty's Deputy Director for Middle East and North Africa, as saying in a statement.
Attorney General Salem Saeed Kubaish, who accused the group of having links to "foreign organizations and outside agendas" and "opposing the U.A.E. constitution and ruling system", had ordered the arrest and subsequent investigation.
It is unclear whether Roken, 50 years old, is considered part of this group under investigation or has been charged with a crime.
Security forces detained Roken as he drove to a local Dubai police station seeking information about his son and son-in-law, who had also been arrested, the paper said.
The U.A.E., which is a U.S. ally, has increased its domestic surveillance in recent years against groups it considers as major threats to the country's stability and security, including people alleged to have ties with the Iranian regime or the Muslim Brotherhood, a group that leaders here believe have a plan to overthrow the Arab monarchs. (ANI)
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