UAE released 4 political prisoners yesterday who had completed their sentences at least 2 to 4 years ago, according to @GulfCentre4HR. The 4 were held without a clear legal basis. We are aware of at least 9 others who are still in prison despite completing their sentences too.

. @hrw first reported on political prisoners held past completion of their sentences in the UAE in July 2019, on accusations of “posing a terrorist threat,” which under the UAE’s repressive counterterrorism law appears to permit indefinite detention https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/07/09/uae-prisoners-held-after-sentences-served

A month later, also as part of a Ramadan amnesty, the UAE pardoned three of the prisoners mentioned in our research. In this link, a thread I did at the time around their release and the conditions of their detention. https://twitter.com/HZayadin/status/1159458439019540480

UAE should immediately release all political prisoners who continue to be held beyond completion of their sentences without a clear legal basis. Here's a @GulfCentre4HR list of names: https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/2612 

It includes Emirati prisoners Maryam al-Balushi and Amina al-Abdouli, both of whom have suffered prolonged solitary confinement and denial of medical care. An @hrw report from March 2020 documented Maryam's reported attempted suicide in al-Wathba prison https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/03/13/uae-woman-prisoner-reportedly-attempts-suicide