Blogger and technologist Ahmed Mansoor has fought against oppression & for digital rights in the United Arab Emirates for over a decade.
In 2018—after a year in solitary confinement—he was given a 10 year sentence for spreading "false information" online. eff.org/offline/ahmed-…
In 2018—after a year in solitary confinement—he was given a 10 year sentence for spreading "false information" online. eff.org/offline/ahmed-…
Mansoor was one of the first to highlight attacks on free expression on the Emirati Internet.
When UAE news and discussion site majan.net was shut down and its owner and a contributor was arrested in 2006, Mansoor organized a successful campaign to free them.
When UAE news and discussion site majan.net was shut down and its owner and a contributor was arrested in 2006, Mansoor organized a successful campaign to free them.
Mansoor continued to push back against the UAE authorities’ efforts to control or punish Internet expression. He petitioned against a draft online media law in 2009, which was subsequently abandoned by the UAE government.
In August of 2009, he co-founded uaehewar.net as a media platform for all Emiratis.
In 2011, Mansoor and four others connected with the site were taken from their homes by police. After eight months of detention they were convicted of insulting the rulers of the UAE.
In 2011, Mansoor and four others connected with the site were taken from their homes by police. After eight months of detention they were convicted of insulting the rulers of the UAE.
Human rights observers called the case “a complete sham.”
The following day, the five were pardoned by the UAE’s President— but their criminal records remained. bbc.co.uk/news/world-mid…
The following day, the five were pardoned by the UAE’s President— but their criminal records remained. bbc.co.uk/news/world-mid…
In 2015 Mansoor was awarded the Laureate Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, but was unable to travel to Switzerland to receive the prize due to a travel ban placed upon him by the government of the UAE. amnesty.org/en/latest/news…
UAE agents repeatedly targeted Mansoor using surveillance software, which included an attempted attack that exploited three flaws in iOS.
Mansoor worked with researchers and the flaws were fixed within days—protecting other users from similar attacks. motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/…
Mansoor worked with researchers and the flaws were fixed within days—protecting other users from similar attacks. motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/…
In March 2017, Mansoor was once again taken from his family and charged with using social media to disseminate false information, rumors, and fake news.
He was also fined about $270,000 for insulting the “status and prestige of the UAE.” aljazeera.com/news/2018/05/u…
He was also fined about $270,000 for insulting the “status and prestige of the UAE.” aljazeera.com/news/2018/05/u…
For much of his life, Ahmed Mansoor has campaigned to free activists who have stood up for human rights and free expression. Now, we join the coalition calling on the United Arab Emirates to release him and drop all charges. eff.org/offline/ahmed-…
