A dozen Lebanese detained in the United Arab Emirates have been released. The Lebanese were arrested in March in the UAE for alleged links to the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement, considered "terrorist" by Gulf countries.
One of those arrested, Ghazi Ezzedine, died in custody in early May, prompting a wave of convictions from human rights groups. The others "were released following the backlash and media campaign that followed the death," a spokesman for the families of the detained Lebanese said. "It appears that the UAE authorities are trying to conceal the real cause of death and cover up the case," an Amnesty International official said.