On 26 March 2013, Abdulwahed Al Shuhi, an Emirati national from Ras Al Khaimah, was arrested and disappeared from his office at the Department of Roads at the Ministry of Public Works in Dubai. His abductors reportedly wore civilian clothes, except for a woman who appeared in her official police uniform. They took him to his house in Ras Al Khaimah which they searched for a few hours before taking Mr Al Shuhi to an unknown destination. Since then, his family has not heard from him, and his fate and whereabouts remain unknown one month later.

The perpetrators are believed to be State agents who acted in their official capacity. Besides the presence of a woman in uniform, the circumstances of Mr Al Shuhi's disappearance also follow the same trend as in numerous other similar cases in the United Arab Emirates involving State Security agents.

Al Shuhi's official location: nowhere - police and state security pass the buck

Between 26 March and 8 April 2013, Abdulwahed's family was sent back and forth between the state security and the police services who both denied detaining him.

On the day of the arrest, 26 March 2013, Mr Al Shuhi's family contacted Ras Al Khaimah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi Police Stations seeking information about him. All three police stations confirmed that Mr Al Shuhi had not been arrested and was not being detained by them.

On 27 March 2013, the family paid a visit to the General Prosecution Office where they were also told Mr Al Shuhi had not been arrested by them and was not being detained at their premises. In addition, the General Prosecution Office told the family to contact the State Security, and when they did so, they were told that State Security had never issued an arrest warrant concerning Mr Al Shuhi, and were told to look for him at police stations. As a result, Mr Al Shuhi's family went to Al Khalidiya Police Station, where the police officers looked Mr Al Shuhi up on their computer system and could not find him.

The day after, Mr Al Shuhi's family tried to report the disappearance incident and to file a disappearance complaint at the Police station in Ras Al Khaimah. They were told that they should contact the closest police station to where they lived. They therefore headed to the Diqdaqah police station where the officer in charge searched for Mr Al Shuhi on the computer system, and informed them Mr Al Shuhi had no charges or case files attributed to him. The officer also told Mr Al Shuhi's family to come back within two days to recheck.

On 30 March 2013, the family went back to the Diqdaqh police station, and the officer in charge filled out and printed their complaint, signed it and informed them that the complaint needed official authorization from the head officer who was not available that day.

On 31 March 2013, the family went back to the police station, and they met with the head officer who refused to give consent to their complaint and told them that they could not file a complaint because he was being detained by State Security. The family informed the head officer that they had contacted the State Security office already, and were told Mr Al Shuhi had not been arrested and was not being detained by them. However, the head officer affirmed to the family that Mr Al Shuhi was detained by the State Security.

On 8 April 2013, almost two weeks after his disappearance, Mr Al Shuhi's family contacted the Interior Ministry, who in turn contacted State Security. State Security confirmed it did not have any knowledge about Mr Al Shuhi's whereabouts or his current situation. On 10 April 2013, the family sent a letter to the Minister of Interior with all details of Mr Al Shuhi's disappearance. They never received any response. On the same day, the family sent a similar letter to the Emirates Human Rights Association- an organization with close ties to the Emirati authorities- that promised to respond within two days. On 15 April 2013, after five days, the family called the Emirates Human Right Association again, but they did not have any information.