reforms by signing a letter. By withholding the renewal of their identity documents for an indefinite period, the authorities effectively subject them to the risk of statelessness. 4 Conclusion and recommendations Since 2011, the UAE government has severely cracked down on civic space, by arresting and detaining individuals exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association. This crackdown began with the revocation of the citizenship of seven peaceful government critics and has since expanded to include other activists and critics, effectively rendering them stateless. These repressive measures are also extended to family members of prisoners of conscience, intensifying the government’s clampdown on dissent. Furthermore, the widespread practice of denying the renewal of identity documents underscores the severity of the infringement on the right to a nationality in the country. These actions contravene the UAE’s international commitments, including article 15 of the UDHR, article 29 of the ACHR, article 5 of the ICERD and article 8 of the CRC. Moreover, they violate international customary law, which prohibits arbitrary deprivation of nationality and mandates the prevention of statelessness.82 Furthermore, these practices go against the UAE’s domestic legal framework, as authorities fail to adhere to their own legislation. Individuals affected by these measures find themselves in a legal limbo, devoid of any recourse for appeal, with far-reaching consequences on a multitude of human rights. These include the right to a nationality, but also the right to family life, the right to freedom of movement, the right to education, the right to the highest attainable standard of health, the right to freedom of expression and the right to association, among others. Moreover, these measures have concerning implications for the mental health of those involved, significantly increasing their mental burden, and subjecting them to feelings of instability and insecurity. As a result, we address the following recommendations to the Emirati Government.     Reinstate the citizenships arbitrarily revoked from members of the “UAE94” and “UAE87”, along with their affected family members, and provide adequate reparations to the victims. Bring the Law on Nationality in line with international human rights standards and allow for decisions regarding citizenship to be challenged before a court. Eliminate disparities on the grounds for citizenship revocation between naturalised and non-naturalised citizens, by annulling article 16 of the Law on Nationality and applying the provisions of article 15 to all citizens. Ensure that every Emirati citizen is able to renew their identity documents, without discrimination. UNHCR, Expert Meeting: Interpreting the 1961 Statelessness Convention and Avoiding Statelessness resulting from Loss and Deprivation of Nationality, November 2013, para. 2, https://www.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/legacy-pdf/5465e2cb9.pdf, (accessed on 10 June 2024). 82 22 Citizenship stripping in the UAE