Ottawa, ON – The International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group (ICLMG) welcomes the news that the Emirati State Security prosecutor dropped all terrorism charges laid against the Canadian Citizen of Libyan origin, Salim Alaradi. Last week, the same judges presiding over related cases dropped all the charges against two other Libyans arrested at the same time as Salim Alaradi.
“These are excellent news. ICLMG along other human rights advocacy groups have been urging the Canadian government to take a more engaged role in defending the rights of Mr. Salim Alaradi, detained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since August 2014,” says Monia Mazigh, ICLMG’s National Coordinator.
Nevertheless, the ordeal of Mr. Alaradi is not over yet. Today, the same court accused Mr. Salim Alaradi of two new charges under the penal code of the UAE:
- Sending supplies to Libyan groups without permission;
- Collecting donations without permission of the appropriate ministry.
A forensic examination ordered by the prosecution and submitted to the court today denied any torture against Mr. Salim Alaradi, despite the UN previously confirming that Mr. Alaradi has been tortured.
“It is clearer today that the case fabricated by the State Security against Mr. Salim Alaradi is falling apart despite all the attempts of the prosecutor. Mr. Salim Alaradi has suffered from torture, solitary confinement and indefinite detention. The Canadian government has a moral obligation to put all its weight and demand nothing less than the immediate release of Mr. Salim Alaradi,” adds Monia Mazigh.
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