57 Bangladeshi Workers Beaten to Pulp, Jailed by UAE Court for Protesting
- Posted on July 23, 2024
- News
- By Arijit Dutta
- 263 Views
UAE court sentences 57 Bangladeshis to long prison terms for protesting against their home government. Three received life sentences, while others got 10-11 years. The ruling sparks international criticism over freedom of assembly in the Gulf state.
A court in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has convicted 57 Bangladeshi nationals to long jail terms for protesting against their home government. Human rights activists have widely criticised the move and has received criticism from other regions of the world, as reported by Wam news agency, which the government of the Gulf state owns.
There were three defendants who were convicted for “inciting riots,” and all of them were sentenced to life imprisonment, 53 other defendants got 10 years imprisonment term each. Among the persons one was given a prison term of 11 years. The court dismissed the defense by the defendants’ justice-appointed attorney that the assemblies were not criminal and there was not enough evidence.
Protests in the UAE were taking place at the same time as continuing unrest in Bangladesh, where students demanding the eradication of government job quotas have been shot dead or arrested in the hundreds. The situation poses a major threat to Sheikh Hasina’s incumbent regime that has been in power for the 15 years.
Amnesty International criticized the UAE’s reaction to the protest asserting that it is an extreme reaction to the existence of a public protest. The human rights organization pointed out that the UAE has conducted two massive trials this month that the non-violent charges have been punished severely.
The UAE, for instance, where most of the population is foreign, has no room for protests. The third largest expatriate group is the Bangladeshis in the country. The court further decreed that the sentenced persons should be deported after serving their respective terms.
This case shows the conflict between the UAE’s authoritarian policies in controlling public assembly and freedom of speech of the nation’s vast expatriate population. It also demonstrates the intricate relationship between internal political dynamics in the country like Bangladesh and the behavior of overseas citizens.
Also Read: Bangladesh’s Supreme Court Abolishes Job Reservation Amid Fatal Protests
Here, some important issues that arise as the situation evolves include; Diplomatic relation between UAE and Bangladesh: The impact of the trial on human rights and freedom of speech in the region.