World News | UAE Supreme Court Upholds Sentences Issued in Mass Trial of Dissidents Widely Criticised Abroad
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. The United Arab Emirates' Federal Supreme Court rejected appeals Tuesday on behalf of dozens of dissidents convicted in a mass trial that faced widespread international criticism.
Dubai, Mar 4 (AP) The United Arab Emirates' Federal Supreme Court rejected appeals Tuesday on behalf of dozens of dissidents convicted in a mass trial that faced widespread international criticism.
The Emirates' state-run WAM news agency reported the decision by the Supreme Court's State Security Chamber, which decided to wait to issue a ruling over a separate appeal by prosecutors until April 8.
The WAM report offered no details on why the court dismissed the appeal.
The initial ruling in 2024 saw 43 people receive life sentences, while five defendants received 15-year sentences and another five received 10-year sentences.
The case was described by the UAE government as involving the Muslim Brotherhood, a pan-Islamic organization declared a terrorist group by the Emirates. Activists, however, decried the case as targeting dissidents, something that drew attention and protests at the COP28 UN climate talks held in Dubai in 2023.
The UAE hasn't identified those sentenced. But among those who received life sentences is activist Nasser bin Ghaith, an academic held since August 2015 over his social media posts.
The autocratic UAE, while socially liberal in many regards compared with its Middle Eastern neighbours, has strict laws governing expression and bans political parties and labour unions. (AP)
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)