Rights group urges investigation of prisoner's death in UAE

A London-based rights group on Friday called for an investigation into the death in custody of a man it described as a "political prisoner" in the United Arab Emirates.

Ali al-Khaja, 59, was found dead earlier this month in his cell, having spent 13 years in prison after being subjected to "an unfair trial and difficult prison conditions that led to his death", said Hamad al-Shamsi, the executive director of the Emirates Detainee Advocacy Centre (EDAC).

Khaja was sentenced in 2013 over links to the Muslim Brotherhood, which is outlawed in most Gulf countries, in a mass trial that was heavily criticised by rights groups.

He remained in prison after completing his sentence in 2022 before facing new charges the following year, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Emirati authorities must launch "an independent and transparent investigation" into the circumstances of his death, given the "serious violations" he suffered, Shamsi told AFP.

The UAE authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AFP.

A joint statement published Wednesday by EDAC and HRW said Khaja was subjected to "torture and ill-treatment during his imprisonment, including physical beatings, prolonged solitary confinement, and continuous bright lighting designed to prevent sleep".

His case "is not an isolated incident. It is part of a general trend targeting prominent human rights defenders in the UAE", Shamsi said.

The wealthy Gulf nation prohibits any criticism of its leaders. People can face fines or prison time on defamation charges over comments made in public or in private.

In 2012, in the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings that saw several leaders toppled in the region, Emirati authorities launched a wave of arrests targeting government opponents calling for political reforms.