The acting head of business and human rights, for non-governmental organisation (NGO) Amnesty International has been denied entry in to the UAE on a trip to take part in a debate on construction workers’ conditions at MEED’s Construction Leadership Summit 2015 in Dubai on 27 May.

James Lynch was prevented from entering the country at Dubai International airport and was required to book a return flight to the UK.

Authorities at the airport gave no justification for their actions, says Amnesty, but Lynch said one official held a deportation order containing the Arabic text, “Prevented from entering the country for reasons of security.”

In a statement issued on his return to London, Lynch said, “By preventing human rights groups from engaging the region’s business leaders on migrant workers’ rights, the UAE authorities are simply continuing to brush this urgent issue under the carpet in the hope nobody will notice.”

“If the UAE won’t allow dialogue on labour rights, they will continue to be exposed when workers are abused.”

Earlier this month, neighbouring Qatar detained a team of BBC journalists, who had been invited to the country to write about workers’ living conditions.