Pakistanis Face UAE Visa Limitations Due to Freedom of Speech Issues

Pakistani officials and ministers have revealed that the UAE has been punishing Pakistanis by restricting their entry visas for weeks for trying to exercise their freedom of expression and opinion.

Pakistan’s Minister for Overseas Citizenship and Human Resource Development, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, expressed that the government is “seriously worried” about the visa restrictions placed by Abu Dhabi on Pakistani travelers.

Hussain stated that the Pakistani Foreign Ministry is negotiating with the UAE to resolve the issue of reduced visa allocations for Pakistanis and decreased quotas for foreign employment. This reduction stems from allegations that Pakistani workers participated in political activities and made political statements while overseas.

Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated that the Foreign Office has addressed the issue of visa restrictions with the UAE, expressing concerns about visa facilitation.

Minister Hussain explained that the UAE’s reservations about Pakistani visas are due to the involvement of overseas Pakistanis in political activities and their commentary on sensitive issues, both publicly and on social media.

He added, “In my view, this issue is more politically motivated. Pakistanis living abroad who engage in local and sensitive matters on social media are likely the reason behind these restrictions, based on my opinion.”

The UAE imposes severe restrictions on freedom of expression, and recently sentenced two Bangladeshis to life in prison for their involvement in large-scale demonstrations against the Bangladeshi government that took place in several Emirati cities.

Abu Dhabi issued the sentence only two days after the defendants were arrested.

Human Rights Watch condemned the unfair convictions by the UAE authorities following the Bangladeshi demonstrations, in an escalation of Abu Dhabi’s violations and criminalization of peaceful dissent there.

The organization said in a statement seen by “Emirates Leaks” that the UAE authorities arbitrarily detained, convicted, and sentenced 57 Bangladeshi demonstrators to long prison terms after a speedy trial based on their participation in peaceful demonstrations in the UAE.

The organization reported that the prison sentences, varying from 10 years to life, were handed down following expedited judicial proceedings that cast significant doubts on fairness and due process.

On July 19, groups primarily composed of Bangladeshi nationals residing in the UAE organized peaceful protests in various locations throughout the country to show support for student demonstrations in Bangladesh.

The following day, the UAE’s attorney general launched an investigation into the protests. By July 21, the Federal Court of Appeal in Abu Dhabi had convicted and sentenced all 57 defendants.

Joy Shea, UAE researcher at Human Rights Watch, criticized the swift legal process, stating, “It is impossible for defendants to receive a fair trial when the entire process—from investigation to verdict—takes less than 48 hours. These sentences undermine justice, and the UAE authorities should immediately release all individuals convicted for their peaceful demonstrations.”

The UAE enforces strict limitations on freedom of expression, assembly, and association. Protests and demonstrations are prohibited under the UAE’s penal code, contravening the UAE’s constitution and international human rights norms, such as the Arab Charter on Human Rights, which the UAE has ratified.

Human Rights Watch reviewed six videos of the protests that were posted on TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) on July 19 or shortly thereafter.

The videos, filmed in the evening, show peaceful protesters chanting slogans and marching through the streets of the UAE, including Abu Dhabi, Ajman, and two areas of Dubai: Satwa and Downtown.

In these videos and others analyzed by Human Rights Watch, none of the protesters appear to be engaging in violence or using language that incites violence.

Violent clashes erupted in Bangladesh after July 15, when government forces and supporters attacked students demonstrating against a 30 percent government job quota for families of veterans who fought for the country’s independence in 1971.

More than 150 people were killed, thousands were injured, and many were arrested. Bangladeshi diaspora groups organized peaceful demonstrations in solidarity with them in several other countries.

On July 21, the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal sentenced 53 Bangladeshi nationals to 10 years in prison each, one individual to 11 years, and three others to life imprisonment, as reported by the Emirates News Agency (WAM).

The court also decreed that the defendants be deported upon completing their sentences and that their electronic devices be confiscated. The lengthy prison terms were reportedly issued after just a single hearing.

WAM reported that the sentences were based on charges of “calling for and inciting demonstrations to exert pressure on their home government.” The trial followed investigations that appeared to “confirm” the defendants’ participation in crimes such as gathering in public to incite riots, promoting such gatherings, and sharing audio and video recordings of these actions online.

The Public Prosecution had requested the “maximum penalty” for the defendants. The report noted that only one defense lawyer was appointed to represent all of the defendants.

On July 20, UAE Attorney General Hamad Al Shamsi announced an investigation into Bangladeshi nationals who “gathered and rioted in a number of the country’s streets.”

On July 21, an Abu Dhabi court held a trial, announced convictions, and issued sentences—all within 24 hours.

In the UAE, demonstrations and protests are strictly prohibited. According to Article 212 of the 2021 Penal Code, individuals who call for, promote, or lead public gatherings “with the intent to commit acts of rioting, obstruct the enforcement of laws and regulations, or disrupt public security” face life imprisonment, regardless of whether their call is acted upon.

Article 26 of the 2021 Cybercrime Law criminalizes the use of the internet to “plan, organize, promote, or call for demonstrations, marches, or the like without obtaining a license from the competent authority.”

Human Rights Watch has expressed grave concerns about the fairness of the judicial process, citing the rapid investigation, trial, and conviction of dozens of defendants as indicative of an unfair trial.

A video posted on TikTok on July 21 shows hundreds, possibly thousands, of protesters gathered near Dubai Mall, chanting slogans inspired by student demonstrations in Bangladesh.

Another verified video by Human Rights Watch depicts protesters marching through the streets of Satwa, Dubai, waving Bangladeshi flags and carrying signs, including one reading “Bengali Students.”

All the videos were filmed in the evening. One video, recorded in Ajman, shows a protester’s watch reading 9:15 p.m. Another video, taken in Satwa, Dubai, and posted on TikTok at 7:36 p.m. local time, shows the moon low in the Dubai sky, matching the posting time. Three of the videos verified by Human Rights Watch were later removed or made private.

Human Rights Watch has called on Bangladeshi authorities, especially the Bangladeshi embassy in the UAE, to pressure UAE officials to release the 57 detained Bangladeshis.

The UAE relies significantly on over a million migrant workers from Bangladesh, the third-largest group within the foreign workforce. Government statistics indicate that more than 100,000 Bangladeshis came to the UAE for work in 2022 alone.

Migrant workers in the UAE face severe exploitation, including wage theft, high recruitment fees, restrictions on job mobility, and passport confiscation.

The abusive kafala (sponsorship) system exacerbates these issues by linking workers’ visas to their employers. Despite being illegal, recruitment fees remain widespread, and the UAE has not effectively addressed the problem.

Workers from climate-affected countries like Bangladesh are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat due to inadequate protection. The kafala system, combined with the ban on trade unions and restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly, prevents workers from challenging these harsh conditions.

As a result, they are unjustly punished for peacefully protesting issues unrelated to the UAE, according to Human Rights Watch.

The UAE government’s relentless assault on rights and freedoms over the past decade has seen the civic space almost completely shut down, freedom of expression and assembly, both online and offline, and peaceful dissent criminalized.

“The UAE claims to uphold the principles of tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and understanding, but the arbitrary arrest and life imprisonment of peaceful protestors points to a horrific violation of these principles,” Shea said.