UN Experts Condemn UAE’s Unfair Mass Trial of Opinion Activists
UN experts condemned the unfair mass trial of opinion activists in the UAE against the backdrop of their years-long demand for reform, rights, and the peaceful transfer of power.
The UN experts expressed their deep concern about the new charges against 84 Emirati citizens, noting that there is information that the Emirati authorities do not respect fair trial guarantees and use torture to extract confessions from the accused.
In a letter addressed to the UAE authorities, the experts stressed their concerns that the judicial procedures were tainted by many flaws, such as the secret detention of the accused and luring them to sign confessions to “committing terrorist acts,” and that the trial was taking place in a non-transparent manner, behind closed doors and without the presence of the media.
Experts voiced worries that the ongoing trial breaches the international law principle of “double jeopardy,” which ensures that individuals cannot be tried or punished more than once for the same offense after a final verdict or acquittal has been reached.
UN experts condemned the 2014 UAE Anti-Terrorist Crimes Law, which is used to prosecute the defendants, highlighting its lack of legal clarity and expansive wording that curtails freedom of expression. They called on UAE authorities to revise the law to align with international human rights norms.
Experts said that the charges against 84 human rights defenders and political activists, and the apparent lack of evidence to support them, indicate that these charges were brought in response to exercising their right to expression, whether online or offline.
They emphasized that the act of labeling human rights defenders and political activists as criminals raises alarm not only due to its harmful effects on these individuals and their families but also because of the wider repercussions it has on the country’s civic environment. Such an approach may discourage others from exercising their basic rights and advocating for the rights of others as well.
The experts posed over a dozen inquiries to Emirati authorities, seeking extensive details on the legal and factual underpinnings of the “UAE 84” trial. They sought clarification on how well the charges and verdict align with international human rights law, particularly focusing on principles such as legality, necessity, proportionality, non-discrimination, fair trial, and proportionality in sentencing.
The letter gave the UAE authorities 60 days to respond to all their questions, but the latter responded before the deadline expired by requesting an additional month.
The experts participating in the letter are the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while combating terrorism; The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; The Working Group on Enforced Disappearance or Abduction.
As well as the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial or arbitrary executions; The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to opinion and expression; The Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association; Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; The Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; The Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
