The Emirates Human Rights Association is planning to contact the public prosecutor’s office to set an appointment to visit the suspect in the Reem Island murder.
The association confirmed its keenness to follow up on the investigation and the suspect’s mental and physical condition before the papers are referred to prosecution, according to Jassem Al Hossani, the association’s secretary general.
The suspect, an Emirati woman in her late thirties, was arrested by police less than 48 hours after allegedly stabbing to death Ibolya Ryan, an American mother of three, in a toilet in Boutik Mall. The woman had allegedly also planted a nail bomb outside the Abu Dhabi home of an Egyptian-American doctor shortly after the murder.
The bomb was found by the doctor’s teenage son, who alerted authorities. The building’s occupants were evacuated and the bomb defused.
In a statement to Al Ittihad, the Arabic-language sister paper of The National, Mr Al Hossani said the association follows up on all court cases in the UAE, especially cases pertaining to national security, to ensure that all suspects are guaranteed their rights.
He confirmed that the visit does not change the association’s firm position against extremism and terrorist crimes, referring to the suspect’s alleged crime as “inhumane”.
Mr Al Hossani went on to praise the swift response and the vigilance of Interior Ministry officials, which he said sent a clear message to anyone attempting to undermine the security and stability of the UAE.
He reiterated EHRA’s full support of the ministry’s efforts.
Mr Al Hossani stressed the need to continue the fight against extremist ideologies, especially at home, and in the educational sector and through civil society organisations and religious institutions to spread moderate Islamic values.
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