Shezzane Cassim, a University of Minnesota graduate, has been imprisoned in the UAE for eight months for posting a harmless video to YouTube

Ambassador pledges to make the case his highest priority and is sending staff to visit Cassim to help ensure his safety 

Today Klobuchar’s staff also joined the Cassim family at an event in Minnesota to advocate for his release

Washington, D.C. – On International Human Rights Day, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar met with U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Michael Corbin to urge action on the case of Shezzane Cassim, a University of Minnesota graduate who has been imprisoned in the UAE for eight months after posting a harmless video to YouTube. The Ambassador pledged to make the case his highest priority and is sending staff to visit Cassim to help ensure his safety. Today members of Klobuchar’s staff also joined the Cassim family at an event in Minnesota to advocate for his release.

“The United Arab Emirates holds itself up as a place for Americans to come and work or get an education, and a number of our universities even have campuses in the country – it simply doesn’t make sense that this young man is in jail for posting a YouTube video. Today’s meeting was a positive step forward and I will continue to work with Shezzane’s family, the State Department, and UAE officials to ensure Shezzane is safe and justice is served.”

Senator Klobuchar has been working with the Cassim family since April 2013. In addition to meeting with the U.S. Ambassador to the UAE, she has also spoken with the UAE Ambassador to the United States and led a Minnesota delegation letter to the UAE Ambassador to the United States urging him to look into the case.

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