A mass trial in the United Arab Emirates has concluded with dozens of dissidents being sentenced to life in prison, according to activists. The trial, which has drawn widespread criticism, ended on Wednesday with over 80 defendants facing charges. The UAE government has not officially acknowledged the sentences, and there has been no immediate response to requests for comments.
Human Rights Watch reported that at least 40 of the defendants received life sentences, while four others were given shorter prison terms. The organization described the trial as unfair, citing due process violations and torture allegations. The Emirates Detainees Advocacy Center, run by an Emirati living in exile, also confirmed that sentences had been handed down.
Among those sentenced to life in prison is activist Nasser bin Ghaith, who has been in detention since 2015 due to his social media posts. The crackdown on dissidents in the UAE followed the Arab Spring protests in 2011, although the Gulf Arab states did not witness the same level of upheaval as other countries in the region.
Another prominent figure likely sentenced in the trial is Ahmed Mansoor, a human rights defender who received the Martin Ennals Award in 2015. Mansoor had been advocating for press freedom and democratic rights in the UAE, which led to his arrest in 2017 and a 10-year prison sentence. He was targeted with Israeli spyware on his iPhone prior to his arrest.
During the United Nations COP28 climate talks in Dubai, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch staged a demonstration highlighting Mansoor's case. The UAE, known for its social liberalism in some aspects, has strict laws governing expression and prohibits political parties and labor unions. Activists refrained from staging protests outside the COP28 venue due to concerns about the country's extensive surveillance system.
