A court in the United Arab Emirates has sentenced 57 Bangladeshi nationals to lengthy prison terms for participating in protests against their own government while residing in the Gulf state. According to state-run WAM news agency, three of the individuals received life sentences for “inciting riots in several streets across the UAE on Friday.” The remaining defendants were handed prison terms ranging from 10 to 11 years.
The court-appointed defense lawyer argued during the trial that the gatherings lacked criminal intent and that the evidence presented was insufficient. Despite these arguments, the court dismissed the defense and ordered that all 57 defendants be deported after serving their sentences.
Protests are effectively illegal in the UAE, where expatriates comprise almost 90% of the population. Bangladeshi nationals constitute the third-largest expatriate group in the country.
Amnesty International condemned the UAE’s harsh response to the protest, with their UAE researcher, Devin Kenney, highlighting that this was the second mass trial in the UAE within a month where individuals received severe prison sentences on charges that did not involve violence. Kenney stated, “[The] extreme reaction to the mere existence of a public protest on Emirati soil shows that the state places great priority on suppressing any manifestation of dissent in the country.”
The protest in the UAE was reportedly organized in response to recent violent unrest in Bangladesh. Over the past week, student-led demonstrations against quotas on government jobs have resulted in more than 150 deaths and the arrest of 500 individuals. Protest leaders in Bangladesh have issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the government, demanding the lifting of a nationwide curfew and the restoration of internet services. They are also calling for the resignation of officials responsible for the violence against demonstrators.
In response to the events, the Bangladeshi consulate in Dubai urged its citizens to respect local laws in a social media post on Sunday. There was no immediate comment from the Bangladeshi government regarding the UAE court’s decision.
On 10 July, a UAE court also handed life sentences to 43 human rights defenders and political dissidents, accusing them of “creating a terrorist organization.” Human rights groups have criticized this mass trial as a “mockery of justice,” asserting that the group was an independent advocacy organization.
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