624 Luxembourg residents have so far put down their name in support of a petition against the country's participation in the World Expo 2020 being hosted by Dubai.

Petition author Georges Liesch, a resident of Differdange, stated in his petition application that the Grand Duchy's participation in the World Expo would be in contradiction to the country's signing of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) due to the notorious human rights violations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The UDHR was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 1948, committing all member states to promoting "universal respect for, an observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion". The Declaration is based on the four columns of right to life and the prohibiton of slavery (Articles 3-11); rights in civil and political society such as freedom of movement (Articles 12-17); spiritual, public and political rights entitling the individual to freedom of association, thought, conscience and religion (Articles 18-21); and social, economic and cultural rights (Articles 22-27).

Mr. Liesch stated that Dubai is in direct violation of several of these freedoms, arguing: "Does Luxembourg want to present itself in a country where: Women's rights are non-existent - freedom of expression is more than restrictive - the separation of powers is not respected - torture is pervasive despite the signing of the UN Convention against torture?"

"The United Arab Emirates (UAE) often uses its affluence to mask the government's serious human rights problems," Human Rights Watch has said of the country. "The government arbitrarily detains, and in some cases forcibly disappears, individuals who criticised the authorities, and its security forces face allegations of torturing detainees. A new anti-discrimination law further jeopardises free speech and is discriminatory, as it excludes references to gender and sexuality. Authorities denied access to the country to activists who criticised the UAE’s mistreatment of migrant workers. Labour abuses persist, as migrant construction workers facing serious exploitation. Female domestic workers are excluded from regulations that apply to workers in other sectors."

Last week, Switzerland became the first country to sign up for the Dubai Expo 2020, the site of which covers 438 hectares in the city's South District. Earlier this month, Luxembourg Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy, Étienne Schneider, held a meeting with Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, regarding the Grand Duchy's official candidacy to participate in the World Expo.

If you wish to sign the petition, click here.