Category Archives: Verenigde Arabische Emiraten

United Arab Emirates: ICJ condemns blatant disregard of the right to a fair and public trial | CIJL-ICJ

The Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers (CIJL)

The ICJ today condemned the blatant disregard by the UAE of the right to a fair and public trial, after its international observers were prohibited from attending the first two hearings of criminal proceedings against 94 individuals.

The detainees include judges, lawyers and human rights defenders. The hearings took place before the State Security Chamber of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Federal Supreme Court.

The ICJ observers were turned away on 4 and 11 March 2013 by police officers before they reached the court.

“The ICJ deplores the decision of the UAE authorities to conduct the trial of the 94 detainees behind closed doors and to deny access to all international observers for both the opening and second hearing of this trial”, said Ketil Lund, ICJ Commissioner, former Supreme Court Judge of Norway and one of the two ICJ observers who was denied access to the court.

“This denial, combined with consistent and credible reports that detainees have been subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, including prolonged solitary confinement, and denied full access to defence counsel, both during questioning and in preparation for the trial, are inconsistent with fair trial standards and cast serious doubts about the fairness and the outcome of the process.”

Under international law and standards and UAE law, Continue reading United Arab Emirates: ICJ condemns blatant disregard of the right to a fair and public trial | CIJL-ICJ