UN must investigate death of UAE poet and writer Habib al-Sayegh, advocacy group says
UN must investigate death of UAE poet and writer Habib al-Sayegh, advocacy group says Submitted by MEE staff on Fri, 10/30/2026 - 17:38 New book claims Sayegh was taken from his home by Emirati security forces and tortured to death in 2019 Emirati poet and writer Habib al-Sayegh, right, receives an honourary award from Ali Mohamed Al Khouri, the then-director general of the Emirates Identity…
Advocacy group demands UN investigation into death of UAE poet Habib al-Sayegh, alleging torture and murder by Emirati security forces in 2019. US-based rights organization Democracy for the Arab World Now (Dawn) states that Sayegh, chairman of the Emirates Writers and Writers Union, was kidnapped from his home, taken to a prison, and subjected to severe torture, including teeth being pulled with pliers and sharp metal object strikes.
The group asserts that only an independent investigation can clarify the circumstances of his death, which reportedly occurred between August 16-19, 2019. The organization calls for the UAE to provide Sayegh's death certificate, cause of death, detention records, and to allow family and an independent forensic expert to verify the location and condition of his grave, which was reportedly moved to an unmarked desert site to prevent family prayers.
Dawn emphasizes the UAE's past violations of international law, citing cases of dissident disappearances and its recent normalization of relations with Israel.
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