An Emirati court has upheld the harsh convictions of 53 human rights defenders and political dissidents, dismissing all appeals made against these sentences during a trial condemned for its unfairness. These individuals faced sentences ranging from ten years to life imprisonment, handed down on July 10, 2024, amid serious due process violations, as stated by Human Rights Watch.
The ruling follows a backdrop of retaliatory charges against at least 84 defendants in late 2023, related to their formation of an independent advocacy group in 2010. These proceedings were riddled with injustices, including restricted access to case materials, inadequate legal support, manipulated witness testimonies, and a lack of transparency throughout the hearings.
Among the high-profile defendants are well-known activists such as Ahmed Mansoor and academic Nasser bin Ghaith. Human Rights Watch insists these convictions stem purely from the peaceful exercise of their rights, calling for their immediate release and the reversal of the convictions based on the unfair trial.
The March 4 decision came after a single hearing where most defendants were absent, and legal representation was sparse due to authorities blocking access. Lawyers struggled to obtain case files, with details remaining scanty, compounding the secrecy surrounding the trial and treatment of the defendants.
In a broader context, the Emirati authorities have invoked a contentious counterterrorism law to pursue allegations of establishing a terrorist organisation named the Justice and Dignity Committee, asserting that the defendants’ earlier convictions were unjustly revisited. Many of the accused had previously faced similar severe charges stemming from a crackdown on dissent in 2013, known as the “UAE94” trial, further muddying the waters of justice in the UAE.
An Emirati court upheld the convictions of 53 human rights defenders on March 4, 2025, following unfair trial practices. The defendants were sentenced harshly, with many already facing previous convictions. Key figures, including Ahmed Mansoor, were involved in the light of severe abuse of legal rights and secrecy. Human Rights Watch condemns the ruling and calls for the reversal of these unjust sentences.
The recent court ruling upholding the mass trial convictions of 53 political dissidents and human rights advocates highlights the ongoing repression of free speech in the UAE. The systematic violations surrounding these convictions raise profound questions about due process in the country’s judicial system. Urging immediate action, Human Rights Watch calls for the reversal of these convictions and for the release of all individuals involved, asserting that their only fault is the peaceful exercise of their rights.
Original Source: www.hrw.org
