human rights defender
Khalifa Al-Nuaimi
Actions and Campaigns
Khalifa Al-Nuaimi
HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER
Organization affiliation
- Justice and Dignity Committee
HRD's year of birth
1987
HRD's Gender
Man
Type of HRD
- Journalist/Blogger
HRD's thematic area of engagement
- Civil and political rights
Current Status
In prison (sentenced)
HRD's bio and work
Khalifa Hilal Khalifa Hilal Saeed Al-Nuaimi is a human rights activist who worked as a presenter on Al-Dhafra TV. He organized numerous programs and community events, many of which were covered by Sharjah TV. He also represented the UAE in various international forums and scouting camps through the Emirates Scout Association. Due to his human rights activism and his defense of the UAE Five detainees in 2011, Khalifa Al-Nuaimi faced significant harassment and intimidation.
Detained since
Jul 16, 2012
Charge(s)
- Terrorism
Sentence
35 years
Latitude: 23.68005
Longitude: 54.78203
Geolocation of detention
Country or area of detention
Region of detention
- Asia: Western Asia
Location of detention - City/Town
Abu Dhabi
Location of detention - Facility
Al-Razeen prison
Allegations / reports of ill-treatment
Al-Nuaimi was subjected to forced disappearance until he was brought to court. He was held in solitary confinement in a cell without a bed or carpet. His family was prevented from visiting him or arranging legal representation. He was subjected to continuous interrogations late at night while blindfolded, during which he endured verbal abuse, causing severe psychological distress. Furthermore, he was prevented from receiving books or newspapers. In March 2014, Khalifa was subjected to solitary confinement again without a bed or chair, and he was denied food. At one point, Al-Nuaimi and his fellow detainee, Ali Abdullah Al-Khaja, were severely beaten, with visible bruises appearing on their bodies. He was also denied the right to attend his father's funeral after being prohibited from seeing him for over a year and a half.
Recent case update / evolution
In March 2011, after a group of 133 Emirati academics, judges, lawyers, students, and human rights defenders signed a petition addressed to the President of the United Arab Emirates and the country’s Federal Supreme Council calling for democratic reforms, the UAE’s State Security Apparatus (SSA) initiated a campaign of arrests against the individuals who signed the document. Khalifa Al-Nuaimi was arrested on 16 July 2012, as part of the “UAE94” for signing the petition calling for democratic reform in the UAE. Arrested individuals were later sentenced in the UAE’s largest mass trial, known as the “UAE94”, before the Federal Supreme Court. On 27 January 2013, the 94 defendants were charged with founding, organising and administering an organisation aimed at overthrowing the government, on the basis of article 180 of the penal code. On 2 July 2013, the Emirati authorities convicted 61 of the 94 defendants, and Al-Nuaimi was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment followed by three years’ probation. Al-Nuaimi’s sentence ended in July 2022, but under the pretext of “rehabilitation needs”, pursuant to the UAE’s Counter-Terrorism Law and the Munasaha Centre Law, the authorities have extended his detention indefinitely. On 7 December 2023, a new mass trial began before the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal, where Al-Nuaimi was retried for new terrorism charges. On 10 July 2024, the Abu Dhabi Federal Appeals Court meted out sentences ranging from between 10 years to life in prison for 53 defendants in the UAE’s second largest unfair mass trial which is known as the UAE84 case. Khalifa Al-Nuaimi was sentenced to life in prison, which is tantamount to 25 years in prison, “for the crime of establishing, founding and managing” the Justice and Dignity Committee, allegedly “with the aim of committing terrorist acts on the country’s soil”.
Attachments
Documented by
- Country(ies) of nationality
- HRD's year of birth
- 1987
- HRD's Gender
- Man
- Type of HRD
- Journalist/Blogger
- HRD's thematic area of engagement
- Civil and political rights
- Organization affiliation
- Justice and Dignity Committee
- HRD's Picture
- HRD's bio and work
Khalifa Hilal Khalifa Hilal Saeed Al-Nuaimi is a human rights activist who worked as a presenter on Al-Dhafra TV. He organized numerous programs and community events, many of which were covered by Sharjah TV. He also represented the UAE in various international forums and scouting camps through the Emirates Scout Association. Due to his human rights activism and his defense of the UAE Five detainees in 2011, Khalifa Al-Nuaimi faced significant harassment and intimidation.
- Country or area of detention
- Region of detention
- Asia: Western Asia
- Location of detention - City/Town
- Abu Dhabi
- Location of detention - Facility
- Al-Razeen prison
- Geolocation of detention
Latitude: 23.68005
Longitude: 54.78203
- Geolocation of detention
- Detained since
- Jul 16, 2012
- Current Status
- In prison (sentenced)
- Charge(s)
- Terrorism
- Sentence
35 years
- Recent case update / evolution
In March 2011, after a group of 133 Emirati academics, judges, lawyers, students, and human rights defenders signed a petition addressed to the President of the United Arab Emirates and the country’s Federal Supreme Council calling for democratic reforms, the UAE’s State Security Apparatus (SSA) initiated a campaign of arrests against the individuals who signed the document. Khalifa Al-Nuaimi was arrested on 16 July 2012, as part of the “UAE94” for signing the petition calling for democratic reform in the UAE. Arrested individuals were later sentenced in the UAE’s largest mass trial, known as the “UAE94”, before the Federal Supreme Court. On 27 January 2013, the 94 defendants were charged with founding, organising and administering an organisation aimed at overthrowing the government, on the basis of article 180 of the penal code. On 2 July 2013, the Emirati authorities convicted 61 of the 94 defendants, and Al-Nuaimi was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment followed by three years’ probation. Al-Nuaimi’s sentence ended in July 2022, but under the pretext of “rehabilitation needs”, pursuant to the UAE’s Counter-Terrorism Law and the Munasaha Centre Law, the authorities have extended his detention indefinitely. On 7 December 2023, a new mass trial began before the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal, where Al-Nuaimi was retried for new terrorism charges. On 10 July 2024, the Abu Dhabi Federal Appeals Court meted out sentences ranging from between 10 years to life in prison for 53 defendants in the UAE’s second largest unfair mass trial which is known as the UAE84 case. Khalifa Al-Nuaimi was sentenced to life in prison, which is tantamount to 25 years in prison, “for the crime of establishing, founding and managing” the Justice and Dignity Committee, allegedly “with the aim of committing terrorist acts on the country’s soil”.
- Allegations / reports of ill-treatment
Al-Nuaimi was subjected to forced disappearance until he was brought to court. He was held in solitary confinement in a cell without a bed or carpet. His family was prevented from visiting him or arranging legal representation. He was subjected to continuous interrogations late at night while blindfolded, during which he endured verbal abuse, causing severe psychological distress. Furthermore, he was prevented from receiving books or newspapers. In March 2014, Khalifa was subjected to solitary confinement again without a bed or chair, and he was denied food. At one point, Al-Nuaimi and his fellow detainee, Ali Abdullah Al-Khaja, were severely beaten, with visible bruises appearing on their bodies. He was also denied the right to attend his father's funeral after being prohibited from seeing him for over a year and a half.
- Protection actions and campaigns
- Documented by
- Consent status
- Consent to register, store and publish the information
sorted by
Date added
7 relationships, 6 entities