ABU DHABI // The Federal National Council has denounced a Human Rights Watch report criticising the UAE’s track record on human rights.
The report, published on Tuesday, attacked the country’s judiciary, women’s rights and labour rights records, and claimed that the UAE “stifled free expression”.
In opening remarks made by Mohammed Al Murr, the FNC Speaker, at this week’s session, he said the report contained a number of inaccuracies.
“The report involves many fallacies that are not based on any foundation and contradict several other international organisations’ statements which testify to the significant progress achieved by the UAE and its honourable record in various areas of human rights,” he said.
He also noted that the UAE had the strongest human-rights record in the Middle East region, and was ranked 13th globally in the “Index for Sovereignty of Law and Transparency of the Judiciary System”, issued by the World Justice Project for 2012 and 2013.
Mr Al Murr said the report had failed to mention the UAE’s adhesion to a number of international human-rights conventions, and how the country drafts yearly reports on its progress in this field which are submitted to various international human-rights organisations.
He said Human Rights Watch should have consulted authorities in the country to obtain information, and asked all organisations to maintain accuracy and neutrality, drawing up reports based on information as opposed to opinions.
He also noted that the FNC formed a Human Rights Committee last year to study all human-rights issues.
osalem@thenational.ae
