Human Rights Watch (HRW) has sharply criticized the conviction and imprisonment of Bangladeshi protesters by the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal as “unjust” and has called for their immediate release. In a report published on Wednesday, HRW denounced the “arbitrary” detention and conviction of 57 Bangladeshi citizens who participated in the July 19 protests in support of student demonstrations in Bangladesh.
The report highlights that the peaceful protests saw no violent acts or language, raising concerns about the rapid judicial process. HRW contends that the speed with which the defendants were investigated, tried, and convicted—within just two days—raises significant fairness issues. This expedited process, HRW argues, left insufficient time to gather evidence, hold a trial, and render sentencing against 57 individuals.
The criticized conviction stems from the Abu Dhabi Court of Appeal’s verdict issued on July 21, where the court sentenced the individuals to varying terms of imprisonment on charges of unlawful assembly and inciting riots. The sentences ranged from 10 years to life imprisonment. UAE authorities maintained that such protests are prohibited under the country’s penal code.
The protests in the UAE were a show of solidarity with the upheaval in Bangladesh, where students protested a high court’s decision to reintroduce a 30 percent quota in government jobs for the descendants of Liberation War veterans. These demonstrations saw escalated tensions resulting in violent clashes, deaths, and a subsequent nationwide curfew and internet blackout imposed by the Bangladeshi government.
International reactions have been critical of both the UAE and Bangladesh. The EU and other organizations have urged for dialogue and accountability. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has called on the Bangladeshi government to take steps to restore public trust and abide by international human rights norms in handling protests, as well as to conduct an independent investigation into alleged human rights violations during the protests.