According to Human Rights Watch, since the conviction of al-Romaithi, the Emirati authorities have been violating the rights of his ‘UAE94’ co-defendants for over a decade. Thus, Jordan risks complicity in these abuses if it sends him back to near-certain persecution. Article 21 of Jordan’s constitution prohibits the extradition of “political refugees” based on “their political beliefs or for their defence of liberty.” Joey Shea, United Arab Emirates researcher at Human Rights Watch, has suggested that “Jordanian authorities should also reveal al-Romaithi’s whereabouts immediately.”
The report says that al-Romaithi had attempted to enter Jordan on his Turkish passport and that Jordanian authorities stopped him after an iris scan at the airport revealed that Jordanian police had issued a warrant for his arrest based on a request from the United Arab Emirates. He was released later that day on bail of 3,000 JOD ($4,200) and permitted to enter Jordan. However, later, four plainclothes police officers arrested him and his friend from a coffee shop in Amman. Jordanian police later went to al-Romaithi’s hotel room and confiscated his bags, clothing, and electronic devices. On May 9, a Jordanian court held a session in which the lawyers and al-Romaithi were present and presented a copy of the extradition request. The court cancelled the bail, ordered his transfer to prison, and set a hearing date for May 16. Later, on May 10, the lawyers discovered a release order issued by the court but found no information about his whereabouts, and since May 9, no one has seen or been in contact with him.
If Jordanian authorities deported al-Romaithi, they seem to have circumvented the country’s normal extradition process. According to one of the lawyers, “This would be a catastrophe for the country, and the authorities who did this would have violated the constitution of Jordan.”
Human Rights Watch opines that it is nearly certain that Emirati authorities would immediately detain al-Romaithi, and he could be tortured and ill-treated or held for an unfair retrial based on charges related to his peaceful criticism and political affiliation. Many of the defendants in the UAE94 case were arrested solely because of their affiliation with a non-violent political group, the Reform and Social Guidance Association (al-Islah), which advocated greater adherence to Islamic precepts and engaged in peaceful political debate in the UAE for years. The trial was tainted by violations of fair trial standards, including the denial of legal assistance during pretrial incommunicado detention and allegations of torture. The verdict could not be appealed as it was issued by the UAE’s highest court, in violation of international law. As of now, the Emirati authorities have been incarcerating 51 Emirati prisoners for over ten years in the UAE94 case, using baseless counterterrorism justifications.
Human Rights Watch has suggested that the Jordanian government stand up to the UAE and uphold the values of its constitution, as Jordan might risk complicity in violating the political refugee’s rights and inviting abuse and torture. In conclusion, the plight of dual citizens is concerning, and nations must uphold the principles of human rights and ensure the safety of those persecuted for their political beliefs and exercise of fundamental rights like expression, assembly, and association. Moreover, nations worldwide must work towards fair trials devoid of torture and other inhumane treatments.
<< photo by Mikhail Nilov >>
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