UAE pardons Bangladesh citizens jailed for protesting against Sheikh Hasina
Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan
The United Arab Emirates has granted a pardon to 57 Bangladeshi nationals who were previously jailed for protesting against the government of erstwhile Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, according to state media reports on Tuesday (Sept 3).
The pardon was granted by the United Arab Emirates President, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who instructed that the sentences be cancelled, the official Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
"The decision includes cancelling the sentences of those convicted and arranging for their deportation," it added.
The individuals were convicted for their participation in protests across several emirates in support of the student-led demonstrations that concluded in the ouster of Bangladesh's long-time leader, Sheikh Hasina.
The protests, which resulted in more than 450 deaths, many due to police firing, were a significant factor in Hasina's removal from power last month after demonstrators stormed her official residence in Dhaka.
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Also watch |Bangladesh protests: US urges Bangladesh to uphold right to peaceful protest
The Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal sentenced 57 Bangladeshi citizens in an expedited trial in July after they held protestsagainst the then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her government during the agitationin Bangladesh.
Three protesters were sentenced to life in prison while 53 others received 10-year sentences, and one individual was sentenced to 11 years.
At the time, Human Rights Watch had slammed the proceedings as "abusively fast," while raising concerns about the fairness and due process of the trials.
The UAE, a nation comprising seven emirates, has strict laws against unauthorised protests and prohibits speech that could incite social unrest or criticism of its rulers.
The country is home to a large expatriate population, including a significant number of South Asians, with Bangladeshis forming the third largest foreign community after Pakistanis and Indians, according to the UAE foreign ministry.
(With inputs from agencies)