UAE sentences 3 Bangladeshi nationals to life, 53 others to 10 years for 'unlawful assembly'

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has handed prison sentences to 57 Bangladeshi expatriates for protesting against their government while in the Gulf country. The Federal Court of Appeals in Abu Dhabi sentenced three defendants to life imprisonment, 53 others to 10 years in prison, and one to 11 years, followed by deportation, for “unlawful assembly”.

Authorities in the UAE ordered an investigation and expedited the trial of the Bangladeshi nationals arrested for organizing and participating in rallies across the UAE on Friday.

On Saturday, the UAE’s attorney general’s office indicted the Bangladeshis on several charges. These include:

• 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
• Disrupt traffic
• Damage both public and private property

The protestors have also been accused of calling for and inciting the demonstrations, and recording and disseminating audiovisual footage of the protest online, all of which are criminal offenses in the UAE.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan called on residents to uphold the security and safety of the Emirates. The leader praised the diversity of the nation and the efforts of its people toward the development of the Emirates.

Unrest in Bangladesh

The protests in the UAE followed weeks of demonstrations in Bangladesh against a quota system that reserved up to 30% of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971.

On Sunday, the country’s top court scaled back the controversial system, in a partial victory for student protesters.