UAE Must End Shameful Harassment of UK Student's Family

<p><strong>Update: AbdurRahman al-Jaidah has been released on 24 December 2013 from captivity and is now safe and back with his family.</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>23 December 2013</strong></p><p><strong>Today at 11.30 am (UAE time), AbdurRahman al-Jaidah was physically assaulted by security officers and abducted from the Court hearing that he was attending, in front of several witnesses.&nbsp; His whereabouts are still unknown.</strong></p><p>It is believed that the abduction of AbdurRahman al-Jaidah by UAE authorities comes in retaliation for the popular campaign mounted by the family to demand the release of their father Dr Mahmoud al-Jaidah. A video explaining his case had been released by the family on social media and went viral in the Arab world.</p><p>Qatari national AbdurRahman al-Jaidah, son of detainee Dr Mahmoud al-Jaidah, was attending his father&rsquo;s court hearing when a security officer approached him, demanding why he was in court and threatened him with arrest.</p><p>25 year-old AbdurRahman ran into the court hall hoping that there would better protection from harm there as Qatari officials were also present at the court.&nbsp; Security officers nevertheless violently pushed him against a glass door and punched him repeatedly, before forcing him onto the floor. AbdurRahman was then forcibly taken into a waiting car outside and has disappeared since then.</p><p>The entire scene was witnessed by several people, including officials and family members.</p><p>The brother of AburRahman, Hassan al-Jaidah who is currently studying at Cardiff University said:</p><p>&ldquo;It is clear that they are trying to stop us from exposing the injustice of my father&rsquo;s case who has been badly tortured in custody and falsely charged. Now, my younger brother is also in their hands and I fear the worst&rdquo;.</p><p>Qatari officials immediately sought explanations from UAE security agencies but have been denied any information on the whereabouts of AbdurRahman.&nbsp; The family&#39;s lawyers also attempted to obtain details from local Police but they were denied any information or access.&nbsp;</p><p>Fearing for their safety, lawyers have advised the al-Jaidah family to leave the UAE.&nbsp;</p><p>CagePrisoners&rsquo; Research Director Asim Qureshi said:</p><p>&ldquo;The peaceful means used by the al-Jaidah family to protest against the illegal detention of their father highly contrasts with the ruthless methods employed by the UAE authorities in order to silence them. The kidnapping of AbdurRahman al-Jaidah in broad daylight shows their sense of impunity but also suggests that this was ordered at a higher level for political reasons&rdquo;.</p><p>CagePrisoners is extremely concerned about the safety and welfare of AbdurRahman al-Jaidah and calls upon the UAE authorities to immediately release him</p><p>[Ends]</p><p><strong>NOTES:</strong></p><p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; CagePrisoners is an independent advocacy group that works to empower communities affected by the war on terror and to highlight abuses of prisoners&rsquo; rights&nbsp;</p><p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; To learn more about the case of Dr Mahmoud al-Jaidah please visit: http://www.freedraljaidah.com/ and http://www.aljazeera.com/humanrights/2013/09/uae-continues-jailing-qatari-doctor-2013926105441372749.html</p><p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A campaign video explaining the background to the arbitrary detention and torture of Dr Mahmoud al-jaidah can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhqfMP7cd5M&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Press Enquiries:</strong></p><p>Contact:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Muhammad Rabbani&nbsp; Phone:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; +(44) 207 377 6700&nbsp; Email:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; rabbani@cageprisoners.com</p><p>Web:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; www.cageprisoners.com</p><p>CagePrisoners Ltd 27 Old Gloucester Street London WC1N 3XX</p>