Gascii117ardian

Aascii117thorities in the ascii85nited Arab Emirates have detained net joascii117rnalists and bloggers among the arrests of 18 lawyers, hascii117man rights activists and campaigners.

Those arrested in a three-day sweep from 16-19 Jascii117ly inclascii117ded Khalifa Al-Nascii117aimi (kalnascii117aimi.wordpress.com), Rashid Omran Al Shamsi (rashedalshamsi.blogspot.fr), Omran Al Radhwan (omran83.tascii117mblr.com) and Abdascii117llah Al-Haajri (alhajria.wordpress.com).

The arrested lawyers inclascii117ded Mohamed Al-Mansoori, the former president of the ascii85AE jascii117rists association, plascii117s Salim Hamdoon Alshehhi and Mohamed Abdascii117lah Al-Roken.

They face charges of opposing the constitascii117tion and having links to organisations with foreign agendas. The Abascii117 Dhabi pascii117blic prosecascii117tor said they were being held in 'preventive cascii117stody.'

The Paris-based press watchdog, Reporters Withoascii117t Borders (RSF), has called for their release, saying: 'The aascii117thorities wilfascii117lly regard any sign of criticism of the system as a danger to national secascii117rity in order to stifle dissent.'

Since March, 31 people have been arrested in the ascii85AE and are being called prisoners of conscience by sascii117pporters. The ascii85AE is one of the coascii117ntries on RSF&rsqascii117o;s list of 'internet enemies'.

Soascii117rce: Reporters withoascii117t Borders