In a move highlighting the political manipulation of the UAE judiciary, the Federal Supreme Court rejected all appeals filed by the individuals convicted in the “Justice and Dignity” case, or what is known in the media as “UAE 84.” The court upheld the harsh sentences against them, including life imprisonment for 43 people and 15 years in prison for five others, as well as sentences of 10 years in prison and fines up to 10 million dirhams.
This case is part of a broader series of politically motivated trials targeting opposition figures and peaceful activists in the UAE. The authorities have used the judiciary as a tool for retaliation against voices calling for reform, basing their charges on vague accusations and pre-prepared security files without reliable material evidence.
Judiciary Politicisation and Security Report-Based Decisions
This trial demonstrates that the UAE legal system is completely governed by security agency directives, with decisions being made using pre-written security reports rather than the principles of justice. Defendants are denied the opportunity to defend themselves, and they are not granted transparent and fair trials. The hearings are held in complete secrecy, and international observers or the press are not allowed to attend. Additionally, evidence that could exonerate the defendants is excluded.
Defendants are often forced to make confessions under torture and ill-treatment, a practice documented by international human rights organizations in UAE prisons. Detainees face various forms of physical and psychological torture, including prolonged solitary confinement, denial of medical care, and continuous humiliation.
Recycling the “UAE 94” Case in a New Form
This case is essentially a rehash of the “UAE 94” case, which targeted dozens of reformists, academics, and activists in the UAE in 2013. They were convicted on fabricated charges of attempting to overthrow the government, despite their demands being entirely peaceful and calling for political reform and social justice.
In blatant legal manipulation and a consolidation of capricious detention practices without time limits, the UAE authorities chose to keep them behind bars by retrieving them under the same charges under a different label after years had passed since some of their sentences were completed. This pattern of repression demonstrates that the UAE judiciary is no longer an autonomous judicial body but rather has evolved into a repressive instrument employed by the regime to stifle dissenting opinions and guarantee that detainees remain in custody after their sentences have ended.
Repressive Laws Legalizing Dictatorship
The UAE relies on a set of vague laws to suppress freedoms and muzzle dissent, the most prominent of which are:
The Anti-Terrorism Law, which is used to target anyone expressing their opinion or demanding reform, classifying human rights and political activities as “terrorist acts.”
The Cybercrime Law, which criminalises online expression and is used to silence critics.
The New Penal Code, which imposes penalties as severe as the death sentence or life imprisonment based on ambiguous charges like “undermining the state’s prestige” and “damaging political relations.”
These laws grant authorities complete freedom to target peaceful activists and imprison them for long periods based on flimsy accusations, making the UAE one of the most repressive countries in the world when it comes to freedom of expression.
Torture and Forced Disappearances
UAE prisons are among the worst in the region, with political detainees enduring harsh detention conditions, including enforced disappearance for indefinite periods. Detainees are held without contact with their families or lawyers, subjected to systematic physical and psychological torture, including electric shocks, beatings, sleep deprivation, and solitary confinement for years. There is also deliberate medical neglect, with detainees being denied treatment, leading to the death of several prisoners due to illness.
Political detainees in the UAE are also not allowed access to independent lawyers, and their families are often barred from visiting them for long periods, making their detention conditions violate all international conventions and treaties that outline the basic human rights of prisoners.
Rising Repression in the UAE and the Absence of International Accountability
These violations are not limited to this trial but are part of a broader context of tightening repression on civil society, silencing the press, and banning human rights organizations. All independent organisations have been closed, and any human rights activity has been banned. Anyone suspected of criticising the authorities is arrested.
In light of these continuing violations, there must be real international action to put an end to the use of the UAE judiciary as a tool of political repression. The United Nations and human rights organisations must pressure for an independent international investigation into the unjust trials conducted by UAE authorities against political opponents and suspend security and judicial cooperation with the UAE, given the use of its laws and courts to persecute the innocent and repress peaceful activists.
