Salim Alaradi waiting in Airport But Cannot Leave Due to UAE Travel Ban Unresolved by Canadian Officials

Free Salim Alaradi Campaign

Update – June 1^st 2016

 Salim Alaradi waiting in Airport But Cannot Leave Due to UAE Travel Ban Unresolved by Canadian Officials
Canadian Citizen Detained in United Arab Emirates for 654 Days

Salim Alaradi has been experiencing one wrinkle after another this week. Alaradi received an innocent verdict on Monday May 30^th but was re-detained on claims of ‘administrative procedures’. After significant international public criticism and condemning further human rights violations he was released yesterday at around 10 pm Abu Dhabi time. His family and supporters cautiously celebrated through the night in cities across the world and on social media knowing that the ordeal was not over until he was home. But this morning they woke up to disappointing news that his planned travel for medical care and reuniting with this family was not going to be easy.

Alaradi was informed that he is on a travel ban list and does not have clearance to leave the country. He is currently waiting in the airport in hopes that he will be allowed to leave on the next possible flight and avoid another night without his children.

After days of insisting with Canadian officials in Ottawa that all travel arrangements should be cleared with UAE officials up front so that once released Alaradi’s medical treatment would not be delayed, today it is clear that preparations were not proactively made.

Alaradi has been waiting for hours for the Canadian government to begin operations in Ottawa this morning due to time zone difference in hopes that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister Stéphane Dion would intervene personally.

This restriction of travel is a further violation of Alaradi’s human rights. Alaradi’s Canadian lawyer Paul Champ is in communication with Canadian officials in the UAE and in Ottawa trying to escalate matters for a prompt resolution.

Media Contacts:

For further details about Salim Alaradi’s situation and the progress of the case in UAE:

Paul Champ, Human rights lawyer representing Salim Alaradi
T: (613) 816-2441
E: [email protected]

Greg Craig, Lawyer for co-accused US nationals Kamal and Mohamed El Darat
T: +1.202.371.7400
E: [email protected]

Marwa Alaradi, Salim Alaradi’s eldest daughter
E: [email protected]

For further background about this case and related human rights concerns in UAE:

John Tackaberry, Media Officer, Amnesty International Canada
T: (613) 744-7667, extension 236
E: [email protected]

Monia Mazigh, National Coordinator-International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group
T: (613) 241-5298
E: [email protected]

Nicholas McGeehan, UAE researcher at Human Rights Watch
E: [email protected]

Drewery Dyke, UAE Researcher at Amnesty International
T: +44 (0) 75 3558 7297
E: [email protected]

For more details about the case please visit:

Campaign Website http://35.193.218.81/
Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/freesalimalaradi
Twitter Account https://twitter.com/freesalimaradi
Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/freesalimalaradi