Emirates: 43 people sentenced to life imprisonment on suspicion of "terrorism"
In the United Arab Emirates, over 40 people have been sentenced to life imprisonment on suspicion of "Terrorism". The Federal Appeal Court in the Gulf emirate of Abu Dhabi "sentenced 43 defendants to life imprisonment for establishing, building and leading a terrorist organization", reported the official Emirates News Agency WAM. The trial was heavily criticized by UN experts and human rights organizations.
According to media reports, ten more defendants were sentenced to prison terms between ten and fifteen years. One defendant was acquitted. 24 cases were declared invalid.
A total of 84 people were charged in the case, among them government critics and human rights activists. According to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, most of the defendants have been in prison for more than ten years since they were arrested in 2013 as part of the "UAE 94" process.
Many of the defendants had already served their sentences. However, the Emirati authorities declare that the latest charges "significantly" differ from those from 2013 - the latter did not contain charges related to the financing of a "terrorist organization".
The criticism towards the trial intensified, with UN experts and human rights organizations collectively criticizing the sentencing of these people for terrorism-related activities in detention. Despite the media reports of acquittals and invalidated cases, the suspicion of terrorism still looms over the Emirates. Following the acquittals and declarations of invalid cases, the Emirati authorities continued to process new charges against some of the original 84 defendants, sparking further criticism and suspicion.
