UAE: Diplomats remain silent on unfair mass trials

BEIRUT United Arab EmiratesGovernments, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and EU member states, should break their silence on the unfair mass trial of at least 84 political dissidents and human rights defenders, Human Rights Watch said today. They should send observers to the July 10, 2024, hearing when the verdict is expected.

December 2023 Hosting United Nations Climate Change Conference28th United Nations General Assembly), UAE authorities bring Charges were brought against at least 84 defendants. second The trial is the largest in the UAE’s history and was launched in retaliation for the establishment of an independent advocacy group in 2010. damage There were numerous violations of fair trial and due process, including allegations of ill-treatment amounting to torture, judges directing witnesses to give their testimony, violations of the double jeopardy principle, and secret hearings.

“The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and other allies of the UAE should stand up for the 84 brave Emiratis who are facing life imprisonment simply for expressing their political beliefs and defending human rights,” he said. Joey SheaUAE researcher at Human Rights Watch. “UAE allies should press for the immediate and unconditional release of these human rights defenders, meet with their families, send trial monitors, and publicly condemn the unfair trials.”

In a statement released on January 6, the UAE authorities defendant The 84 defendants were charged with “establishing and running a secret terrorist organization in the UAE called the Justice and Dignity Committee.” The charges appear to stem from a 2014 UAE abuse of power case. Counter-terrorism The law stipulates that anyone who establishes, organizes or operates such an organization will face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment or even death. On May 10, the UAE’s official news agency Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported that Announce The verdict of the case will be announced on July 10.

Human Rights Watch urged governments to send observers to observe the trial, which the UAE claims is open to the public. Human Rights Watch is aware of no UAE embassy sending such observers. Human Rights Watch also asked governments to condemn due process violations and call for the immediate and unconditional release of the defendants. UAE allies have not made any public statements calling for the defendants’ release or expressing concerns about the trial proceedings, even though many of them often claim that human rights are an important part of their foreign policy.

Many of the 84 defendants save They have been held in solitary confinement for at least a year and have reported abusive detention conditions, including physical assaults, lack of access to medical care and necessary medicines, constant loud music, and forced nudity.

According to the Emirates Detainees Rights Centre (EDAC), at least 60 defendants were convicted in 2013 for their involvement in the Justice and Dignity Committee. This has raised concerns that the UAE authorities have violated in principle Double jeopardy, which prohibits being tried twice for the same crime after a final judgment has been received.

Although WAM claimed in a statement in January that the case “people”, UAE authorities have strictly restricted access to hearings, even banning family members from attending, and have kept basic details of the case secret, including the names of all the defendants.

The UAE authorities have Prevented Lawyers for the accused were not allowed free access to case files and court documents. Relatives said lawyers were apparently not given paper or electronic copies of court documents and could only view them on screens in a secure room under the supervision of security personnel. People familiar with the matter said lawyers were not allowed to take photos of documents and could only take handwritten notes.

“This is second “The largest unjust trial of political dissidents and human rights defenders in the UAE’s history has been met with no international concern,” said Shea. “UAE authorities have long used the country’s economic and security ties to prevent criticism of its human rights record, but the silence from its allies has rarely been so strong.”