News – Middle East – UAE: An investigation by a human rights organization revealed the severity of the escalation of racism in the Emirates after it presented shocking testimonies of African workers who were imprisoned, tortured and deported from the Emirates.

The investigation monitored grave violations, including imprisonment, torture, and forced deportation of hundreds of African migrant workers in the United Arab Emirates during the past two months. The investigation was based on more than 100 testimonies of migrant workers from Cameroon, Nigeria and Uganda, that the UAE authorities carried out on 24 and 25 June a campaign of massive incursions and arrests against about 800 African workers in the country, illegally detaining and torturing them before their collective deportation. Seems to be racially motivated.

Campaigns of arrests and deportations are still continuing throughout the Emirates until the date of publishing the investigation, as they are still receiving more information and testimonies from the released and deported victims daily.

The investigation said that forces from SWAT, criminal investigations and the UAE police raided five apartment buildings in Abu Dhabi, known to house African workers, late on June 24 and 25, 2021.

Testimonies reported that members of the forces destroyed surveillance cameras and turned off wireless internet in the buildings that were stormed, before using excessive force that included breaking doors and private property and using electrocution weapons against workers who were arrested without apparent charges. The workers said that they were taken from their apartments while some were still in their underwear, while they were not allowed to take any possessions other than passports with which they were later deported.

The workers confirmed that some women were subjected to sexual harassment during the storming process, which included touching private parts of their bodies while they were semi-naked and handcuffed. Most of the workers stated that they were insulted and racist by the police against black Africans.

The workers, who are of different nationalities in Africa, reported that they were taken to Al Wathba Prison, a prison complex located 44 kilometers from Abu Dhabi, where they were held without charge in cells holding up to 60 people with only three toilets.Victims, including pregnant women, reported being tied by their hands and feet for up to two weeks, not provided with toiletries, and denied medical care.

After about 5 weeks of imprisonment, the authorities began deporting African workers after they faked Covid-19 tests to speed up the travel process, according to the workers, while most of the workers returned to their countries with no possessions other than passports.

The UAE has a documented record of restricting the rights and exploitation of migrant workers. Although foreign workers make up 95% of the country’s workforce, the country’s sponsorship system has caused a lack of labor protection, leaving migrant workers vulnerable to abuse by private companies and the UAE authorities.

As for the African citizens, the mistreatment against them is exacerbated by the daily racist practices and the discriminatory measures they have been exposed to in particular in light of the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.