UAE clears 3 detainees of terror charges, including blogger at risk of suicide

The Supreme Court in the United Arab Emirates acquitted two Libyans, Moad Mohammad Al Hashemi and Adel Rajab Naseef, and Omani blogger Muawiya Al Ruwahi of all charges in a hearing held on Monday, according to a press release from the International Campaign for Freedom in the United Arab Emirates.

The Emirati court cleared Al Ruwahi of the charges against him on medical grounds. The judgement ruled that he will be deported back to Oman.

The Omani blogger has been held by the Emirati authorities since February 2015 for posting “offensive” messages. When he was brought before the court on 9 November, he warned of a possible hunger strike or suicide.

Al Ruwahi suffers from bipolar disorder and has attempted suicide a number of times.

The two Libyan citizens, Al Hashemi and Naseef, were part of a wider group of Libyans detained in August 2014. Of these detainees, four were released in 2014 and the remaining detainees were held without charge.

Al Hashemi and Naseef were eventually charged with providing financial and material support to armed groups in Libya.

In the court hearing on Monday, the two Libyans were cleared of these charges and further details regarding their release is due in the coming days. Four other Libyans remain in detention, including Canadian citizen of Libyan origin Salim Al Aradi.

All three cleared detainees reported ill-treatment and torture during their detentions and have been held at the notorious Al Wathba prison.