This is addressed to all participants of #EAFOL16 #Dubai, #UAE, whether audience or authors.
2010 was the second year of #EAFOL and I was joined by a diverse set of literature lovers as we tweeted, blogged and photoed under the hashtag #DXBLit - one of my abiding memories is the Friday morning when a line of Emirati readers queued to meet our team, I met more Emiratis in three hours than I had during my decades of living in the UAE, we all shared one passion Literature.
I note that this year @EAFOLThinkTwice are urging authors to boycott #EAFOL16 on environmental and human rights grounds, this I am unable to endorse as my experience of meeting passionate readers was thrilling, and their imaginations should not be starved!
I would however urge all participants to request that @HHShkMohd, UAE Vice-President and patron of #EAFOL16, returns the passport of Emirati citizen @Ahmed_Mansoor . Since Ahmed was pardoned by the UAE President in 2011, when he had been convicted of requesting free and fair elections across the UAE, he has been barred from employment, with his passport removed, indeed he was unable to receive the Martin Ennals Award 2015.
Ahmed Mansoor - Martin Ennals Award 2015 Final Nominee from Martin Ennals Award on Vimeo.
Most of us are at total liberty to travel where we wish to, with no involvement by our Governments, as you fly in or out of Dubai, remember Emirati Ahmed Mansoor remains a prisoner in his own country - please bring this petition to the attention of everybody - Thank you.
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