Thirteen Years of Silent Repression: UAE’s Al-Razeen Prison and the War on Dissent

Behind the walls of this notorious facility, dozens of human rights activists, academics, and intellectuals remain imprisoned—not for crimes they committed, but for peacefully expressing their views and demanding political reforms within the UAE.

Systematic Abuse and Arbitrary Detention

According to the latest reports by the Advocacy Center for UAE Prisoners, abuses inside Al-Razeen have escalated. A policy of neglect, psychological abuse, and physical mistreatment appears designed to crush the will of prisoners and silence dissenting voices.

One of the most egregious abuses involves continued detention after prisoners complete their sentences, in blatant violation of international law and basic legal principles.

Sham Retrials to Extend Detention

In a deeply concerning development, the report documents how Emirati authorities have retried prisoners on the same charges they were already convicted and served time for.

This practice, a direct violation of the “double jeopardy” principle, is used to justify indefinite imprisonment without new legal grounds.

Key figures in this wave of retrials include members of the “Reform Group”, a collective of scholars and religious figures first tried in 2013 for peaceful activism. Despite finishing their sentences, many now face fresh, baseless prosecutions meant to keep them behind bars.

Isolation and Family Disconnection

Since July 2024, families of several detainees have reported total communication blackouts—no visits, no calls, no letters.

Rights groups describe this as a form of “enforced disappearance inside prison”, as families have no information about their loved ones’ health or whereabouts. This isolation inflicts severe psychological trauma on both detainees and their relatives.

Legal Blackout and Denial of Representation

Prisoners are also denied the right to appoint legal counsel or family representatives, leaving them with no means to defend themselves or appeal their conditions. This calculated legal isolation transforms Al-Razeen into a closed black box, immune to judicial oversight.

Testimonies from former prisoners reveal a lack of basic necessities. With no commissary or access to personal supplies, inmates are forced to survive on inadequate, low-quality meals, leading to malnutrition and chronic illness.

Medical Neglect as Policy

Healthcare at Al-Razeen is limited to the distribution of sedatives, with no proper diagnostics or urgent treatment. Inmates suffering serious medical conditions are reportedly left untreated, putting their lives at risk.

Such neglect violates both the UN Convention Against Torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Rights Organizations Demand Action

The Advocacy Center renewed its call to the international community and human rights organizations to take urgent action against the abuses inside UAE prisons, especially Al-Razeen.

The center demanded:

• Immediate release of prisoners of conscience

• An end to arbitrary detention and psychological abuse

• Restoration of basic rights, including legal representation, family contact, and adequate medical care

Eroding Legitimacy and Global Accountability

Human rights advocates stress that continued imprisonment for peaceful opinions, coupled with arbitrary retrials, undermines UAE’s credibility in global human rights forums.

These practices raise serious doubts about Abu Dhabi’s commitment to international treaties it claims to uphold.

Al-Razeen is no longer just a prison—it has become a symbol of political suffocation and the criminalization of dissent in the UAE. Thirteen years of persecution for peaceful advocacy reveals a system not of security, but of vengeance and authoritarian control.

If the UAE hopes to be respected on the international stage, it must release peaceful activists and end this repressive campaign, which only deepens its isolation and global condemnation.