publish time

01/01/2019

author name Arab Times

publish time

01/01/2019

DUBAI: A court in the United Arab Emirates upheld on Monday a 10- year jail sentence against pro-democracy campaigner Ahmed Mansoor for criticising the government on social media, two sources said on Monday. The state security court’s ruling against Mansoor, who prior to his imprisonment had been one of a tiny number of publicly active rights campaigners in the UAE, was later reported by the Abu Dhabi-government owned National newspaper.

A trade and tourism hub, the UAE is an absolute monarchy which tolerates little public criticism. Mansoor, a 49-year-old electrical engineer and poet, was among five activists convicted of insulting the UAE’s rulers in 2011. They were pardoned the same year. (RTRS)