Cdn found innocent in UAE

Photo: The Canadian Press

The family of a Canadian imprisoned in the United Arab Emirates for nearly two years says the man has been acquitted of all charges in what human rights advocates have called an unjust case.

But Salim Alaradi's family says the man has still not been released from custody, despite being declared innocent.

Alaradi had originally been on trial for terrorism charges which were abruptly dropped in March and replaced with two lesser offences.

His acquittal on Monday was on charges of allegedly providing supplies to groups in a foreign country without permission of the U.A.E. government and collecting donations without the government's permission.

Alaradi immigrated to Canada in 1998 from the U.A.E. but returned there in 2007 to run a home appliance business. He was on vacation with his family in Dubai when he was suddenly arrested in August 2014.

Alaradi was among 10 men of Libyan origin detained around the same time — some of them have since been released.

The case has drawn growing international attention since Alaradi and his co-accused went on trial.

UN human rights experts have demanded the U.A.E. immediately release him and his fellow detainees.

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention also examined the men's cases and cited advocates for the detainees alleging that the men had been deprived of sleep for up to 20 days, beaten on the hands and legs and suffered "electric shocks with an electric chair."