The Al Abdouly Siblings have been detained by the Emirati authorities since November 2014. The siblings, Amina Mohammed Al Abdouly, 33 and Moza Mohammed Al Abdouly, 18 and Musab Al Abdouly, 25 were arrested by the security forces after they raided their house on November 19 2015. Their brother Walid Al Abdouly was arrested after making a public announcement at a Mosque in the UAE denouncing their detention.
The siblings have been now disappeared for nearly two months.
Mohammed al Abdouly, the siblings father, was killed whilst supporting rebel groups in Syria against President Bashar al Assad. Their father was previously arrested in 2013 for 4 months and was dismissed from the UAE army, with no reason or explanation being given.
Why have they been arrested and disappeared?
There’s no official reason for the siblings disappearance. In the UAE enforced disappearances have becoming an increasingly regular practice. Political activists, human rights defenders and their families have all been subject to enforced disappearances.
Amina, Moza and Mosab Al Abdouly may have been arrested and disappeared because of their fathers activities in Syria. The UAE authorities have ruled that any involvement in fighting or support for fighting in Syria is illegal. The siblings had shared a message on social media network, Twitter, in memory of their father.
Waled al Abdouly was more than likely arrested and disappeared for speaking out against the taking of his siblings. Following their arrest Waled spoke out publicly at a mosque in the UAE and called for them to be released. On November 29 2015 Waled was then arrested and has been disappeared since then.
The siblings have had no contact with their family or with legal representation.
Why are there calls to release them?
The siblings are at real risk of torture and ill-treatment whilst in prison. There have been many reports of torture and ill-treatment of prisoners and more than 200 complaints have been brought before the Emirati courts. These complaints of torture have not been investigated. Given the number of complaints that continue to be made by prisoners, there is a significant threat to the treatment that they will face in prison.
Enforced disappearances are a serious violation of human rights and the United Nations have said that they constitute an international crime.
“Enforced disappearance has frequently been used as a strategy to spread terror within the society. The feeling of insecurity generated by this practice is not limited to the close relatives of the disappeared, but also affects their communities and society as a whole.”
What can you do?
We’re asking for a show of support for the siblings and for the siblings to be released. Share your support on Twitter via #FreeAlabdoulySiblings. We’d like to show the siblings they won’t be forgotten particularly Amina, who is a mother and has been separated from her children and Moza, just a young teenager.
Why not take a picture of a note that you’ve written saying “I’m a mother/father/student/teacher/worker and call for Amina and Moza Al Abdouly to be returned to their families” against a background of books or toys as a reminder of what’s being taken away from them.
