I 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5378 

To make certain members of the royal families of the United Arab Emirates 

ineligible for visas or admission to the United States and to revoke 

visas and other entry documents previously issued to such family members until Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al-Nahyan has been tried in accordance 

with international legal norms and human rights standards, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 25, 2010 

Mr. MCGOVERN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To make certain members of the royal families of the United 

Arab Emirates ineligible for visas or admission to the 

United States and to revoke visas and other entry documents previously issued to such family members until 

Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al-Nahyan has been tried in accordance with international legal norms and human 

rights standards, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United Arab Emirates 

3 Human Rights Accountability Act of 2010’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 The Congress finds as follows: 

6 (1) Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al-Nahyan is the 

7 brother of United Arab Emirates (hereinafter in this 

8 section referred to as ‘‘UAE’’) president and Abu 

9 Dhabi Emir Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan. 

10 (2) On April 22, 2009, ABC Nightline broad11 cast a few minutes of videotape documenting the se12 verest forms of torture and abuse of an Afghan 

13 grain dealer, Mohammed Shah Poor, inflicted by 

14 Sheikh Issa assisted by other uniformed individuals 

15 acting under color of authority. 

16 (3) During Mr. Poor’s ordeal, Sheikh Issa re17 peatedly insisted that his and his cronies actions be 

18 videotaped, reportedly for his later enjoyment of the 

19 extreme suffering of his victim, who miraculously 

20 survived the attack. 

21 (4) Excerpts of this video have been circulated 

22 on YouTube and longer footage was submitted in a 

23 United States civil court in 2009. 

24 (5) Around 2004, the matter was brought to 

25 the attention of the UAE Ministry of Interior, which 

26 is headed by another of Sheikh Issa’s brothers. The 


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1 Interior Ministry failed to investigate this matter, 

2 and when ABC News brought it again to their atten3 tion, the Ministry replied that the incidents were not 

4 part of a pattern of behavior and that the police had 

5 correctly followed procedures. 

6 (6) Human Rights Watch stated, regarding this 

7 incident: ‘‘The UAE government’s failure to pros8 ecute those involved in this undisputed incident of 

9 torture and abuse at the hands of a royal family 

10 member and the police is an appalling miscarriage of 

11 justice. What’s even more shocking is the govern12 ment’s insistence that it investigated and found no 

13 violation of UAE laws.’’. 

14 (7) Only after an international outcry regarding 

15 the lack of action by UAE law enforcement and legal 

16 authorities and a hearing of the Tom Lantos 

17 Human Rights Commission in the U.S. House of 

18 Representatives on Wednesday, May 13, 2009, did 

19 Sheikh Issa finally have to face charges before a 

20 UAE court. 

21 (8) On January 10, 2010, the UAE court ac22 quitted Sheikh Issa of the charges of rape, endan23 gering life and causing bodily harm. According to 

24 Sheikh Issa’s attorney, the court accepted their deVerDate Mar 15 2010 06:52 May 26, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5378.IH H5378

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1 fense that Sheikh Issa had been under the influence 

2 of drugs. 

3 (9) In addition, the UAE court convicted 

4 Bassam and Ghassan Nabulsi, sentenced in absentia 

5 to five years each in prison. Bassam and Ghassan 

6 Nabulsi were former business partners of Sheikh 

7 Issa, who had filmed the attack and kept the video 

8 tape and ultimately brought a civil suit in the 

9 United States against Sheikh Issa during which they 

10 submitted the film. 

11 SEC. 3. VISA LIMITATIONS ON CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE 

12 ROYAL FAMILIES OF UNITED ARAB EMIR13 ATES. 

14 (a) INELIGIBLE FOR VISAS.— 

15 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para16 graph (2), an alien is ineligible to receive a visa to 

17 enter the United States and ineligible to be admitted 

18 to the United States who the Secretary of State de19 termines to be— 

20 (A) a member of the royal families of the 

21 United Arab Emirates; and 

22 (B) an officer or employee of the govern23 ment of the United Arab Emirates. 

24 (2) WAIVER FOR NATIONAL INTERESTS.—The 

25 Secretary of State may waive paragraph (1) in the 


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1 case of an alien if the Secretary determines that 

2 such a waiver would be in the national interests of 

3 the United States. Upon granting such a waiver, the 

4 Secretary of State shall provide notice to the Con5 gress. 

6 (3) TERMINATION.—The provisions of this sub7 section shall cease to be effective on the date that 

8 the Secretary of State transmits to the Congress a 

9 statement certifying the following: 

10 (A) That the Secretary has determined 

11 that the government of the United Arab Emir12 ates has established an independent entity with13 in that government that has authority to inves14 tigate an individual described in paragraph (1). 

15 (B) That the Secretary has determined 

16 that Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al-Nahyan has been 

17 tried, in accordance with what the Secretary de18 termines to be appropriate international legal 

19 norms and human rights standards, for all of20 fenses described in paragraph (4). 

21 (4) OFFENSES DESCRIBED.—An offense de22 scribed in this paragraph is any offense under the 

23 law of the United Arab Emirates— 

24 (A) that was committed in connection with 

25 the assault on Mohammed Shah Poor; and 


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1 (B) for which Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al2 Nahyan has not been tried as of the date of en3 actment of this Act. 

4 (b) CURRENT VISAS REVOKED.—The Secretary of 

5 State, in accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigra6 tion and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), shall revoke 

7 the nonimmigrant visa or other documentation of any 

8 alien who is rendered ineligible for such visa or docu9 mentation under subsection (a). 

10 (c) TERMINOLOGY.—The terms used in this Act shall 

11 have the meanings given such terms in section 101(a) of 

12 the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)). 

Æ 


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