Nationality Emirati | Name Mohammed Al-Rukn | |
Born September 26, 1962 (age 61) ( 1962-09-26 ) Dubai, UAE Other names Mohamed Al-Roken, Mohammed Abdulla Al Roken Education Ph.D., constitutional law, Warwick University Occupation lawyer, political activist Known for constitutional law expertise, imprisoned for human rights activity Movement Emirati political opposition | ||
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Rukn (Arabic: د. محمد عبدالله الركن) is an Emirati lawyer and political activist who was born on 26 September 1962. Al-Rukn was incarcerated because of his human rights activities and his representation of other Emirati political opposition figures.
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Early life
Al-Rukn was born in Dubai, UAE to a modest family of Arab ancestry. He attended primary schools in Dubai, where he was a quick learner. Later he was granted a scholarship to the United States to study chemical engineering, but decided instead to study law.
He attended the United Arab Emirates University, Faculty of Law in 1981 and graduated with excellence in 1985 with a bachelor's degree in law and a minor in political science. While at university he was an administrative body of the Emirates National Students Union.
In 1985 Al-Rukn attended Warwick University and graduated with a degree in constitutional law. In 1992 he completed his Ph.D. in constitutional law from the same university.
Human rights activism and incarceration
Al-Rukn had defended members of al-Islah, a nonviolent political opposition group, on a pro bono basis, including those whom authorities had stripped of their Emirati citizenship. In 2011 he served as co-defense counsel for two of the activists, known as the UAE 5, who were imprisoned for seven months prosecuted for allegedly posting statements on an internet forum critical of the UAE's leaders and government policies. Government authorities have long prevented al-Rukn from lecturing at Al Ain University due to his outspoken views on the UAE government.
Dr. Al-Rukn was detained on July 17, 2012. His current whereabouts are unknown.