DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — United Arab Emirates authorities temporarily detained members of a U.S.-funded democracy group as they tried to leave the country after their office was ordered closed, U.S. officials said Thursday.
The group included the local director of the National Democratic Institute, or NDI, who was briefly held and left the country, and another staff member, who was apparently held longer and later released, said State Department spokesman Mark Toner. The other NDI staff member remained in the UAE.
The NDI was ordered closed last week along with other foreign groups in the UAE. The NDI also was among several foreign groups raided by Egyptian authorities in December. Some activists were charged with fomenting unrest.
The UAE defended the closures, saying that licensing issues forced the move, according to the state news agency. It quoted a Foreign Ministry official as saying some groups violated the terms of their license and others did not have approval to operate.
