50 years of repression in the name of state security: a time for the UK to hold the UAE accountable
Description: Since the campaign of mass arrests launched against civil society in 2013, civic space in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been practically non-existent. The main entity responsible for the crackdown on civil society is the State Security Apparatus (SSA), which was established exactly 50 years ago, on June 10th, 1974. The SSA has been responsible for widespread and systematic human rights violations in the UAE, including enforced disappearances, torture, and arbitrary detention. This includes British citizen Matthew Hedges, who has been subjected to torture and arbitrary detention by the SSA. On the occasion of the 50-year anniversary of the SSA, MENA Rights Group would like to invite you to an event featuring prominent legal experts and civil society actors to discuss ways of accountability, including through the adoption of sanctions against perpetrators of human rights violations. The event will be hosted by Baronness Helena Kennedy at the House of Lords, on June 13th, 2024 at 11 am.
