This week, please write to your MP concerning UAE prisoner of conscience, Ahmed Mansoor.

We have been working on the Ahmed Mansoor’s case since he was first arrested in the UAE in 2017. Last year we contacted the Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham, who subsequently  wrote to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office concerning Ahmed. Recently he received a response from the Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, Minister for the Middle East and Africa, stating that the FCDO had raised Ahmed’s case with the UAE authorities in June last year.

We would like to urge the FCDO to raise Ahmed’s case again and we would also like to meet with officials to discuss how to best support efforts to secure Ahmed Mansoor’s release.

Please write to your MP asking them to write to Mr Cleverly with these two requests. Please download a suggested draft letter (please feel free to amend but do keep the main asks) and a briefing for you to send with your letter. You can send an email or letter and contact details for your MP can be found at https://members.parliament.uk/. Make sure that you put your address on it, to show that you are a constituent.

N.B. We are aware that Jeff Smith , MP for Manchester Withington, wrote to Mr Cleverly last year and received a very similar response to Mr Burnham. If Mr Smith is your MP, please still write to him but acknowledge his past support and ask him to contact the FCDO again given the lack of progress in Ahmed’s case.

Take Action!

Please could you let Kathryn Fletcher, bussk@btinternet.com, know who you have written to so we know which Manchester MPs have been contacted. Please also forward any responses that you receive.