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Americans and Canadian held in UAE acquitted – but 'nightmare' continues
Source: The Guardian
Americans and Canadian held in UAE acquitted – but 'nightmare' continues
Three men remain held despite their acquittal on assorted charges
by United Arab Emirates’ supreme court following nearly two years’
detention
Ashifa Kassam in Toronto
Monday 30 May 2016 20.18 BST
Two Americans and a Canadian detained for nearly two years in the United Arab Emirates have been acquitted of all charges by the country’s supreme court. They remain in detention, however, as their families wonder when the “dark nightmare” will finally end.
In August 2014, after decades of travelling and working in the UAE without incident, Salim Alaradi, a Canadian Libyan, and Kamal and Mohamed Eldarat, a Libyan American father and son, were arrested by state security officials.
Prior to being charged with terrorism-related offences, the men were held in prison for 505 days without charges. Family members allege they were subjected to torture, suffering beatings, electric shocks and sleep deprivation.
In March, prosecutors dropped the terrorism-related charges but continued to hold the businessmen in custody, on downgraded charges of providing supplies to groups in a foreign country and collecting donations without permission.
On Monday, a judge in the UAE declared the three dual nationals, as well as Libyan Issa al Manna, not guilty on all charges. The four men cheered as the verdict was delivered and embraced one another, said the lawyer for Alaradi.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Three men remain held despite their acquittal on assorted charges
by United Arab Emirates’ supreme court following nearly two years’
detention
Ashifa Kassam in Toronto
Monday 30 May 2016 20.18 BST
Two Americans and a Canadian detained for nearly two years in the United Arab Emirates have been acquitted of all charges by the country’s supreme court. They remain in detention, however, as their families wonder when the “dark nightmare” will finally end.
In August 2014, after decades of travelling and working in the UAE without incident, Salim Alaradi, a Canadian Libyan, and Kamal and Mohamed Eldarat, a Libyan American father and son, were arrested by state security officials.
Prior to being charged with terrorism-related offences, the men were held in prison for 505 days without charges. Family members allege they were subjected to torture, suffering beatings, electric shocks and sleep deprivation.
In March, prosecutors dropped the terrorism-related charges but continued to hold the businessmen in custody, on downgraded charges of providing supplies to groups in a foreign country and collecting donations without permission.
On Monday, a judge in the UAE declared the three dual nationals, as well as Libyan Issa al Manna, not guilty on all charges. The four men cheered as the verdict was delivered and embraced one another, said the lawyer for Alaradi.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/30/united-arab-emirates-americans-canadian-acquittal
