Human rights in the United Arab Emirates

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United Arab Emirates
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of the United Arab Emirates

President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Federal National Council Emirates Foreign relations 2006 election
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Although the United Arab Emirates government has made some advances in the protection of human rights, the U.S. Department of State notes in its annual report on human rights practices that numerous fundamental practices and policies exist to the contrary. Specifically, the UAE does not have democratically elected institutions (citizens do not have the right to change their government) or political parties; free assembly and association are restricted; and the rights of workers are limited. Trafficking in women as prostitutes and the use of very young foreign boys as camel jockeys continue despite government pledges to end these practices.

The UAE has not signed most international human rights and labor rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, and the Convention against Torture.

In 2004 the Dubai police opened designated departments in all emirate police stations that are mandated to protect the human rights of both victims and perpetrators of crime. Dubai police also sponsored various human rights workshops and training seminars.

The UAE's human rights record was widely criticised during the trials of Sarah Balabagan in 1995.

1 Freedom of speech
2 Migrant and labor rights
- 2.1 2006 workers' riot
3 Trafficking and prostitution
4 Child abuse and slavery
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Freedom of speech

Although the UAE constitution provides for freedom of speech and the press, in practice these rights are very limited. By law, the Ministry of Information licenses all publications and approves the appointment of editors. Press content also is governed by law. Negative comments about Islam, the government, ruling families, or UAE citizens (by expatriates) are punishable by imprisonment, although this regulation is rarely enforced, as the press practices self-censorship. The Ministry of Information and Culture reviews imported printed material for content and imposes distribution limitations on material considered pornographic, excessively violent, derogatory to Islam, or contrary to government foreign policy.

[edit] Migrant and labor rights

Migrants, particularly migrant workers, make up a majority (approximately 80%) of the resident population of the UAE, and account for 90% of its workforce.^[1] They lack rights associated with citizenship and face a variety of restrictions on their rights as workers.

It is common practice for employers in the UAE to retain employees' passports for the duration of the employment contract to prevent expatriate employees from changing jobs. This is an illegal practice, but it is almost never investigated, let alone punished by the government. On termination of an employment contract, certain categories of expatriates are banned from obtaining a work permit in the country for six months.

In March 2006 NPR reported that workers "typically live eight to a room, sending home a portion of their salary to their families, whom they don't see for years at a time." Others report that their salary has been withheld to pay back loans, making them little more than indentured servants.^[2]
In December 2005 the Indian consulate in Dubai submitted a report to the Government of India detailing labour problems faced by Indian expatriates in the emirate. The report highlighted delayed payment of wages, substitution of employment contracts, premature termination of services and excessive working hours as being some of the challenges faced by Indian workers in the city.^[3]
The BBC reported in September 2004 that "local newspapers often carry stories of construction workers allegedly not being paid for months on end. They are not allowed to move jobs and if they leave the country to go home they will almost certainly lose the money they say they are owed. The names of the construction companies concerned are not published in the newspapers for fear of offending the often powerful individuals who own them.".^[4]
In 2004 the United States Department of State has cited widespread instances of blue collar labor abuse in the general context of the United Arab Emirates.^[5]
In September 2003 the government was criticised by Human Rights Watch for its inaction in addressing the discrimination against Asian workers in the emirate. ^[6]

Though officially there is a labour ministry where workers can go for redress, this is more so in name than in practice. Subcontintent labour from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh working in construction sites cannot speak either Arabic or English, and their claims can drag on in the Labour courts for months by which time the unpaid labourers have little option than to accept any given settlement.

However, the UAE government has denied any kind of labour injustices and has stated that the watchdog's accusations were misguided.^[7] Towards the end of March 2006, the government announced steps to allow construction unions. UAE labour minister Ali al-Kaabi said: "Labourers will be allowed to form unions."

[edit] 2006 workers' riot

On 21 March 2006, tensions boiled over at the construction site of the Burj Dubai as workers upset over low wages and poor working conditions rioted, damaging cars, offices, computers, and construction tools. A Dubai Interior Ministry official said the rioters caused approximately $1m United States dollars in damage. On March 22 most workers returned to the construction site but refused to work. The work stoppage also caused workers building a new terminal at Dubai International Airport to strike.^[8]

[edit] Trafficking and prostitution

According to Ansar Burney Trust (ABT), an illegal sex industry thrives in the emirates, especially in Dubai. This complements the tourism and hospitality industry, a major part of Dubai's economy.^[9]

Prostitution, though illegal by law, is conspicuously present in the emirate because of an economy that is largely based on tourism and trade. There is a high demand for women from Eastern Europe. According to the World Sex Guide, a website catering to sex tourists, Russian and Ethiopian women are the most common prostitutes, while Eastern European prostitutes are part of a well organized trans-Oceanic prostitution network.^[10] The Government has been trying to curb prostitution. In March 2007, it was reported that the UAE has deported over 4,300 sex workers mainly from Dubai.^[11]

[edit] Child abuse and slavery

Main article: Child camel jockeys

A 2004 HBO documentary^[12] accuses the UAE of illegally using child jockeys in camel racing, where they are subjected also to physical and sexual abuse. Antislavery.org has documented similar allegations.^[13] The ABT, which was featured heavily in the HBO documentary, announced that in 2005 the government of the UAE began actively enforcing a ban on child camel jockeys, and that the issue "may finally be resolved".^[14]

An action filed in the United State in September 2006 accuses Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, Dubai's ruler, of abducting, trafficking and enslaving thousands of young children for camel races. The children were said to be from Bangladesh, Sudan and southern Asia.^[15]