The UAE has Placed Salim Alaradi in a Predicament with No Immediate End to Travel Ban
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Posted On June 1, 2016
Free Salim Alaradi Campaign
Update – June 1st 2016
UAE has Placed Salim Alaradi in a Predicament with No Immediate End to Travel Ban
Canadian Citizen Detained in United Arab Emirates for 643 Days
Prior to Salim Alaradi’s court appearance on Monday May 31st in the United Arab Emirates Federal Supreme Court, his Canadian lawyer Paul Champ and his family asked Global Affairs Canada to take all necessary steps to prepare for his acquittal and ensure a smooth transition for his release to the airport. The family was assured that GAC had communicated with the Emirates and that his passport was ready with Canadian diplomats prepared to transport him directly to the airport to leave the country.
Celebrations following Alaradi’s acquittal were short lived as he was immediately taken back into custody by UAE state security. Alaradi’s family was again assured that Canadian officials were doing everything possible to secure his release. Late Tuesday night, Alaradi was suddenly released to his UAE lawyer by prison officials. Again, the family celebrated, this time with Salim, as he enjoyed his first hours of freedom on the phone and Skype with his wife and children.
Today, Alaradi was accompanied to the Dubai airport with a Canadian diplomat and was expecting to travel to Istanbul for urgent medical care and to reunite with his family. To their disappointment, he was prevented from leaving the country. He was informed that there are several obstacles to his departure, including a travel ban and a prohibition from traveling with his newly issued Canadian passport as it does not have an entry stamp. Alaradi’s visa was stamped in a passport currently confiscated by UAE state security.
This has caused a predicament in his status. All services including hospitals, hotels and banks among others require valid ID which the UAE State Security has not returned to him. This has forced Alaradi to remain at a friend’s apartment and avoid any unnecessary movement as he could not even ID himself to police if needed.
UAE officials have promised Canadian diplomats that his original passport should be returned as early as tomorrow but they should not expect an immediate resolution to the travel ban. No reasons have been given for the travel ban. Time zone differences between Canada and the UAE have exacerbated the situation, leaving a small window of overlap for officials to resolve the matter. If the passport and travel ban obstacles are not resolved tomorrow, Alaradi will likely be stuck in the UAE until Monday – a short plane ride from his children and access to medical treatment – due to weekend holidays in both UAE and Canada respectively.
Alaradi spoke with his Canadian lawyer Paul Champ today and appealed to him that his health is poor and he needs to have his heart checked immediately and that the Canadian government is responsible for the delay in resolving his travel dilemma. He has asked Champ to escalate the matter as high up as possible.
Alaradi was promised Minister Dion would intervene today yet apparently his phone call was not returned by UAE officials. The family and Alaradi’s lawyers believe that a phone call from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will bring an immediate end to Alaradi’s suffering and that of his children.
Paul Champ is available for further details on the situation.
Recent Media Coverage:
Middle East Eye – UAE bars Libyan-Canadian businessman from leaving country after prison release
The Guardian – Americans and Canadian held in UAE acquitted – but ‘nightmare’ continues
Vice News – Canadian Detained for 642 Days in the UAE Has Been Acquitted, But Isn’t Free Yet
CBC – Canadian Salim Alaradi acquitted in United Arab Emirates
Global News – Salim Alaradi, Canadian detained in UAE for 2 years, acquitted of all charges
Middle East Eye – Libyan-Canadian acquitted in UAE, but taken back to prison, family says
Media Contacts:
For further details about Salim Alaradi’s situation and the progress of the case in UAE:
Paul Champ, Human rights lawyer representing Salim Alaradi
T: (613) 816-2441
E: [email protected]
Greg Craig, Lawyer for co-accused US nationals Kamal and Mohamed El Darat
T: +1.202.371.7400
E: [email protected]
Marwa Alaradi, Salim Alaradi’s eldest daughter
E: [email protected]
For further background about this case and related human rights concerns in UAE:
John Tackaberry, Media Officer, Amnesty International Canada
T: (613) 744-7667, extension 236
Monia Mazigh, National Coordinator-International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group
T: (613) 241-5298
Nicholas McGeehan, UAE researcher at Human Rights Watch
E: [email protected]
Drewery Dyke, UAE Researcher at Amnesty International
T: +44 (0) 75 3558 7297
E: [email protected]
For more details about the case please visit:
Campaign Website http://35.193.218.81/
Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/freesalimalaradi
Twitter Account https://twitter.com/freesalimaradi
Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/freesalimalaradi
