URGENT ALERT: Dubai

Date: 26.6.99
Name: Fareed Ahmed Al-Hilalee
Status: Fear of torture

1. Background
Fareed Ahmed Al-Hilalee, a 30 year old Moroccan national who is being held in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. In 1998 Mr. Al-Hilalee travelled to Karachi, Pakistan, via Dubai. He was detained in Karachi and subsequently deported, via Dubai, to his place of origin. Back in Dubai, however, he was detained without being charged, but escaped from the airport and went into hiding, afraid of being arrested again and not knowing why he was being pursued.

On 30 March 1999 he was again arrested by the police in Sharjah. This time he was beaten, put into a tiny, filthy cell with14 other men, tortured, and forced to sign a confession stating that he was a member of Usama bin Laden’s group, as well as a member of a terrorist group in Algeria. A few days later he managed to escape again while he was being taken to the place where he had been staying before this second arrest. He took to living on the streets and begging for his food.

Finally, on about 10 June, he was arrested a third time by the Sharjah police. Though he is not allowed visits or phone calls, he managed to get a message out to his brother in Morocco that he was afraid of being subjected again to beatings, torture and other inhuman treatment, and begging for legal representation and support from human rights groups.

2. How to Campaign
Please contact the UAE Ambassador in your country now, asking for the immediate and unconditional release of Al-Hilalee on the following grounds:

1. He has been denied a fair and just hearing
2. Any confession that has been made has been done so through the illegal use of torture.

Please add that campaigners fear for his safety in the light of the above, and seek immediate news of his health and safety.

For UK campaigners the embassy is at: 48 Princes Gate, London, SW7, tel: 0171 589 3434 Fax: 0171 581 9616
Ambassador: His Excellency Isa Algurg

For all campaigners, please also e-mail Sharjah Chamber of Commerce, telling them that you will boycott Sharjah and UAE based companies unless Al-Hilalee is released, and until torture and other inhumane methods are stopped by the Sharjah police.

Please forward copies of any responses for monitoring to IHRC. [END]