UAE pardons Bangladesh citizens jailed for protesting

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued a pardon for 57 Bangladeshi nationals who were convicted and sentenced to lengthy prison terms for staging a protest against their home country, WAM reported on Tuesday.

In line with the president’s directive, UAE Attorney-General Dr. Hamad Al Shamsi has ordered the immediate suspension of the sentences and the initiation of deportation procedures.

Bangladesh protests in the UAE

The Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal sentenced 57 Bangladeshi citizens in an expedited trial in July after they had protested against the then-prime minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and her government amid protests in Bangladesh.

The court handed life imprisonment sentences to three defendants, 10-year sentences to 53 others, and an 11-year sentence to one individual, all followed by deportation, for “unlawful assembly.”

UAE authorities conducted a swift investigation and trial of the Bangladeshi nationals arrested for organizing and participating in rallies across the country in July.

The attorney general’s office charged the Bangladeshis with several offenses, including “gathering in a public place and protesting against their home government with the intent to incite unrest, obstruct the enforcement of laws and regulations, disrupt individual interests, cause harm and danger to others, violate their rights, disrupt traffic, and damage both public and private property.”

The protesters were also accused of inciting the demonstrations and recording and sharing audiovisual footage of the protest online, all of which are criminal offenses in the UAE.

The Attorney-General emphasized the importance of respecting the UAE’s laws, noting that the right to express opinions is protected within the state’s legal framework. He highlighted that the UAE provides lawful means for expressing views, ensuring that this right does not lead to actions that could harm the nation and its people.