Greenlighting billions of dollars in unconditional military and security funding at a moment when there’s concern about atrocities including war crimes and the risk of genocide is truly unthinkable.
Israel detains thousands of Palestinians for months, or even years, without ever charging them with a crime. And when charges are brought, Palestinians are routinely denied a fair trial.
On August 29, 2023, Amnesty International USA, Human Rights Watch, Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) and 16 additional civil society organizations delivered a letter urging U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to encourage the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government to immediately and unconditionally release Emirati human rights defender Ahmed Mansoor ahead of the 28th Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) that will take place from November 30 to December 12, 2023.
Elizabeth Rghebi is the MENA Advocacy Director for Amnesty International USA. She has conducted human rights advocacy on the MENA region at the United Nations, European Union, and before national governments in close collaboration with local civil society organizations.