President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates has pardoned 57 Bangladeshi citizens who were jailed for protesting against their government while in the Gulf country. The Bangladeshi nationals were accused of joining protests similar to those against the prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina. They were swiftly convicted of “gathering and inciting riots” by a federal court in the UAE, with three receiving life sentences and 53 being sentenced to 10 years in prison. One individual was sentenced to 11 years for illegal entry and participation in the riot.
Human Rights Watch criticized the arrests as arbitrary and based on peaceful demonstrations. The decision to pardon the prisoners came after President Sheikh Mohamed spoke with Bangladesh’s new interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, who took over after Hasina was removed from power amid protests in Bangladesh. The unrest in Bangladesh began with student-led protests against civil service job quotas and escalated into mass demonstrations calling for Hasina’s resignation.
The UAE has a strict stance on dissent, with limited freedom of expression and strict penal codes prohibiting criticism of rulers or actions that could jeopardize relations with foreign states. Bangladeshis are the third-largest expatriate group in the UAE, many working in low-paid jobs and sending remittances home to support their families. The move to pardon the prisoners and deport them back to Bangladesh signifies a resolution to a situation that sparked international concern over human rights violations.
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