UAE releases three sisters after arrested over twitter campaign

Three sisters arrested three months ago in the United Arab Emirates over campaigning on Twitter on behalf of their jailed brother were released on Friday, Amnesty International said.

According to Amnesty International’s statement, the three sisters were arrested after posting comments on Twitter on behalf of their brother, a prisoner of conscience in the Gulf state.

Prominent human rights defender Ahmed Mansoor reported by Amnesty International that the sisters Asma Khalifa al-Suwaidi, Mariam Khalifa al-Suwaidi and Dr Alyaziyah Khalifa al-Suwaidi were dropped off at their family home at close to noon local time today.

The three sisters had not been heard from since they were summoned for questioning at an Abu-Dhabi police station on February 15 and then taken into the custody of the UAE’s state security apparatus.

It is not yet known what pressure Al-Suwaidi sisters were under while in detention, if they were charged with any offence, or if their release carries any conditions,” said Said Boumedouha, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa programme.

“What is clear, however, is that these three women should never have been detained in the first place. If necessary, we will continue to campaign on the world stage to call for all charges and conditions to be dropped.”