The Libyan Association for Victims of Torture and Enforced Disappearance in the UAE
Statement #2
Re: The United Arab Emirates has Arbitrarily Shutdown Companies Owned by Libyans Businessmen Currently Detained and Released
In addition to the physical and psychological damage and the heavy financial losses incurred by the detained and released Libyan businessmen, the United Arab Emirates has taken new arbitrary actions and are persistent to cause more harm. On Tuesday October 27th 2015, the UAE has notified the companies, owned by these businessmen, with the immediate closure within a two day window. This is a shock to these business owners that the UAE has enforced closure of their companies through means outside of the law, based on a decision of the UAE state security without any judicial ruling or legal procedure. This is an alarming indication that suggests that the UAE State Security is interfering with UAE business community.
We have no doubt that this reaction stems from authorities who wish to hide the truth of the injustice and persecution taking place in the darkness of the secret prisons against the Libyan businessmen.
Is it comprehendible that the Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Labour would cancel business licenses through arbitrary procedures outside of the law, based on state security decisions, and without any judicial ruling?
These companies have been operating according to the law, have no record of any illegal practices, their licenses are still active and have not exceeded their expiry date.
To date we have no idea what these authorities are seeking to hide?
Are they upset from the human rights campaign that has taken place to expose the violations that have been committed against these Libyan businessmen?
Is the truth painful to this degree?
We express our shock and disappointment from the actions taken, that are in violation of the UAE constitution and domestic laws, and do not serve the economic growth of the UAE or its efforts to build a safe haven for investment. We would like to affirm the following:
- We have taken upon ourselves, from day 1, that the campaigns run by the families of the detainees are humanitarian and are not intended to harm the UAE, nor its rulers, nor its hospitable people, and not to allow for the politicization or exploitation of any party. This is something we remain committed to it.
- We are committed to a peaceful, civil and legal human rights mandate in order to achieve all of our just demands fairly for the Libyan businessmen who have been subjected to enforced disappearance and torture in the UAE. Many of them remain arbitrarily detained outside any legal framework.
- We request form the respected people of the UAE to urgently resolve the matter of the Libyan businessmen who were kidnapped and tortured unlawfully in violation of the Constitution and UAE law, not to mention the international laws, and immediately release them.
- We request the fair treatment of the Libyan businessmen still detained, and those released, and compensation for the damages suffered - physical, psychological, and financial.
We hope that the UAE authorities will prevent these injustices from continuing and close the secret prisons indefinitely which are hurting the UAE. We hope the UAE expedites its human rights reforms which have significantly deteriorated.
No matter the unjust actions taken against those detained, the Libyan people and international human rights organizations will stand up for our fair and just case and will not stop demanding the release of these innocent men and their fair treatment. Enforced disappearance, kidnapping and torture are unacceptable. We will not be silence about the rights of these victims.
The Libyan Association for Victims of Torture and Enforced Disappearance in the UAE
