A banner requesting the release of a prominent activist in the United Arab Emirates was flown over Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium during their Premier League match with Liverpool.
The banner – which read ‘UAE: Free Ahmed Mansoor’ – was organised by human rights group Amnesty International.
Mansoor was jailed for 10 years in 2018 for “defaming” the country.
City owner Sheikh Mansour is the UAE’s vice-president, deputy prime minister and part of the Emirati royal family.
The light aircraft towing the banner circled the ground for approximately 20 minutes after kick-off on Saturday.
In 2011, Mansoor was one of five activists arrested after calling for political or economic reforms. All were later pardoned by authorities.
Four years later, Mansoor received the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders for what was cited as his work in raising concerns about arbitrary detention, torture and degrading treatment in the UAE, in the face of repeated intimidation and harassment.
He was seized by security agents in 2017 and a year later imprisoned for reportedly using social media sites to “publish false information that damages the country’s reputation” and to “spread hatred and sectarianism”.
Earlier this month, Amnesty wrote to Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig to urge the council to “publicly call” on the UAE government to release Mansoor.
Amnesty International UK’s chief executive Sacha Deshmukh said: “We’re calling on City fans to join us in this campaign to free Ahmed.
“Today’s plane stunt is a way of saying: ‘Look up from the pitch and see the bigger picture – a huge injustice has occurred, and the owners of Manchester City are the ones who can right this wrong.'”
BBC Sport has approached Manchester City for comment.
