resolution motion, 7 July 2025
On The case of Ryan Cornelius in Dubai
Motion B-10-2025-0333 · (2025/2796(RSP))
on behalf of the Renew Group · Rapporteur: Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Dan Barna, Benoit Cassart, Olivier Chastel, Engin Eroglu, Karin Karlsbro, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar
AI:In short
This resolution addresses the case of British businessman Ryan Cornelius, arbitrarily detained in Dubai since May 2008, and condemns the repression of dissent in the UAE. It calls on the UAE to release all arbitrarily detained persons, to accede to international human rights covenants, and urges the European Commission to make the Special Partnership Agreement conditional on human rights progress.
Key points
- Calls on the UAE to release Ryan Cornelius and all other arbitrarily detained persons.
- Condemns the repression of dissent in the UAE, including arbitrary detention of human rights defenders like Ahmed Mansoor, Mohammed al-Roken and Nasser bin Ghaith.
- Calls on the UAE to become a state party to the ICCPR, ICESCR and other international human rights instruments.
- Urges the European Commission to increase efforts for concrete human rights progress in the UAE, including release of unlawfully detained prisoners and law reform.
- Calls on the Commission to conduct an independent human rights impact assessment before negotiating the Special Partnership Agreement and to make its conclusion conditional on UAE accession to ICCPR and ICESCR.
- Calls for confidential human rights dialogue platforms between civil society and authorities, and inclusion of independent human rights monitors' access in the SPA.
Who is affected
- The United Arab Emirates government, which is called on to release detainees and reform laws.
- Ryan Cornelius and other arbitrarily detained persons in the UAE, who would be released.
- The European Commission, which must conduct impact assessments and establish dialogue platforms.
- Civil society actors in the UAE and EU, who would participate in protected dialogue platforms.
Figures and deadlines
Written by AI from the full text · every figure comes from the text · ¶ opens the paragraph · 4 Sept 2026 · Report a problem
Full text
Text 16 paragraphs
B10 0333/2025
Motion for a European Parliament resolution on The case of Ryan Cornelius in Dubai
(2025/2796(RSP))
The European Parliament,
–having regard to Rules 150 of its Rules of Procedure,
–having regard to European Parliament, resolution on the case of human rights defender Ahmed Mansoor in the United Arab Emirates,
A.whereas the government of the United Arab Emirates has a disturbing track record of arbitrary detention, unfair trials, and allegations of torture usually targeting human rights defenders, activists, judges, academics, students, but also businesspeople;
B.whereas British citizen and businessman Ryan Cornelius was arrested and arbitrarily detained in Dubai in May 2008; whereas his trial was fundamentally flawed and he had no access to legal representation; whereas scores of Emirati activists, academics and lawyers are also serving lengthy sentences in UAE prisons following unfair trials on vague and broad charges;
C.whereas the United Arab Emirates remain among the few countries internationally that have not become state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR);
1.Calls on the UAE to release Ryan Cornelius and all other arbitrarily detained persons;
2.Reiterates its condemnation of the complete repression of dissent in the UAE evidenced by the arbitrary incarceration of human rights defenders in the UAE, notably Ahmed Mansoor, Mohammed al-Roken and Nasser bin Ghaith, solely for exercising their basic human rights, i.e. rights to freedom of speech, association, peaceful assembly and expression both online and offline, rights enshrined in universal human rights instruments, and the Arab Charter on Human Rights; deeply deplores the gap between the UAE’s claims to be a tolerant and rights-respecting country and the fact that human rights defenders, lawyers, and academics are detained arbitrarily in harsh conditions;
3.Calls on the UAE to become state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and other relevant international human rights tools;
4.Welcomes the 12 Human Rights Dialogues that the UAE has hitherto held with the EU but urges the European Commission to increase efforts to securing concrete human rights progress, such as the release of unlawfully detained prisoners, the end of abusive policies and the reform or repeal of laws that are in contravention of international human rights standards;
5.Calls on the European Commission to execute an independent human rights impact assessment ahead of negotiating the Special Partnership Agreement (SPA) with the UAE, and make the agreement´s conclusion conditional upon the UAE´s accession to the ICCPR and ICESCR;
6.Calls on the European Commission as part of the SPA with the UAE to establish confidential, formal human rights dialogue platforms between civil society and authorities from both sides that guarantee all actors protection from potential retaliation; appeals to the European Commission to include the access of independent human rights monitors to the UAE into the agreement;
7.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Government and Parliament of the UAE, the HR/VP, the Commission, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, and the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council;