Amnesty International: UAE Focuses on Crushing All Forms of Dissent
Amnesty International said that the top priority of the ruling regime in the UAE is to suppress any manifestation of dissent and crush public rights and freedoms.
This statement follows a UAE court’s decision to impose lengthy prison terms, including life sentences, on 57 Bangladeshis accused of orchestrating protests against their home government.
Devin Kenny, Amnesty International’s UAE researcher, noted that this is the second large-scale trial in the UAE this month, with many individuals receiving lengthy sentences quickly for charges that lack any violent element.
Kenney told Agence France-Presse, “The extreme response to the mere occurrence of a public protest in the UAE demonstrates that the state prioritizes suppressing any form of dissent.”
On July 10, a court in the United Arab Emirates issued life imprisonment sentences to 43 human rights defenders and political opponents who were convicted for their demands for reform and freedoms.
This week, a court in the United Arab Emirates sentenced dozens of Bangladeshi citizens to prison, due to protests against their government in the country, official media reported on Monday.
On Sunday, the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal sentenced 53 Bangladeshi nationals to 10 years in prison, with one additional Bangladeshi receiving an 11-year sentence. The court also imposed three life sentences, as reported by Emirates News Agency (WAM). Following the completion of their prison terms, the court-mandated the deportation of these individuals from the UAE.
Media quoted a court-appointed defense lawyer as saying during Sunday’s trial that the gatherings did not have any criminal intent and that the evidence was insufficient.
Amnesty International condemned what it described as “the extremist reaction by the UAE to the mere presence of a public protest” on its territory.
In the UAE, where foreigners make up nearly 90% of the population, protests are effectively prohibited. Authorities prevent them from exercising fundamental rights, including freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, and forming unions or associations.
Political parties and trade unions are banned, and stringent laws restrict freedom of expression. Most major local media outlets are state-owned or affiliated.
The UAE Public Prosecution filed several charges against the Bangladeshi workers, including “gathering in a public place and protesting against their government to incite unrest,” obstructing law enforcement, causing harm to others, and damaging property.
Most Bangladeshi workers in the UAE are low-wage workers seeking to send money to their families back home.
