The president of the United Arab Emirates has pardoned 57 Bangladeshi nationals jailed for protesting against his government in the Gulf country.
The decision, announced on Tuesday by President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, “overturns” the sentences of the Bangladeshi nationals, state news agency WAM reported.
They will be released and deported, the report said.
Bangladesh’s Sangbad Sanstha news agency quoted a presidential adviser as saying that all 57 are expected to return home soon.
‘Arbitrarily Convicted’
Bangladeshi expatriates were accused of joining protests in the UAE Reflects collective performances Against the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government in her country.
The Federal Court in the UAE, which prohibits unauthorized protests, Convicted quickly In July, Bangladeshis “collected and incited riots”.
The prosecution accused them of “assembling in a public place and protesting against their home government with intent to incite disturbance”.
Three people were sentenced to life imprisonment and 53 to 10 years in prison. A Bangladeshi, who state media said entered the UAE illegally and “participated in rioting”, was sentenced to 11 years in prison.
Human Rights Watch described them as “arbitrarily detained, convicted and sentenced to lengthy prison terms … based on their participation in peaceful demonstrations”.
Sheikh Mohammed’s move to pardon the prisoners comes less than a week after he spoke with Bangladesh’s new interim leader Muhammad Yunus, who took over after Hussain. overthrown from power And fled to India amid protests last month
That unrest in Bangladesh began in June with student-led protests against civil service job quotas. It escalated into mass demonstrations calling for Hasina, who remained In power since 2009to leave.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Bangladeshis form the third largest foreign group in the country after Pakistanis and Indians.
The majority of the population in the country of about 10 million people are foreign residents.
Many Bangladeshis in the UAE work in low-paying blue-collar jobs and send remittances home to support their families.
The UAE has little tolerance for dissent as it prohibits criticism of the rulers or speech intended to cause or encourage social unrest. Freedom of expression is restricted.
The country’s penal code also criminalizes those who offend foreign states or threaten relations with them.
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