At least 40 individuals sentenced to life imprisonment in the United Arab Emirates

Dozens of "human rights activists and members of civil society" in the United Arab Emirates have been sentenced to life imprisonment in what Emirati activists have called a "mass trial of opponents." According to the Associated Press, the UAE government quickly did not confirm the issuance of these sentences, and government officials immediately did not respond to requests for comment. Emirati activists stated that such sentences were expected in court, and the "Emirates Support for Detainees Center," run by an Emirati in exile in Istanbul, reported that the sentences for these individuals have been issued. The legal case of the defendants attracted significant attention while the emirate of Dubai hosted the United Nations climate negotiations last November. Human Rights Watch stated that at least 40 of the more than 80 defendants in this case were sentenced to life imprisonment, while four others received shorter prison terms. The organization said it was unaware of the sentences of other prisoners. Joy She, a researcher at the organization working on the UAE, told the Associated Press that these long prison sentences "ridiculously mock justice" and are "another nail in the coffin of the nascent civil society" in the UAE. She added that the UAE has subjected "dozens of its most dedicated human rights defenders and civil society members" to a "shameless" and "unjust trial filled with violations of legal standards and allegations of torture." Amnesty International has also criticized these sentences. Joy She noted that among those sentenced to life imprisonment is Nasser bin Ghaith, an academic activist who has been in detention since the summer of 2015 due to his posts on social media. He was one of dozens who were sentenced following a widespread crackdown in the UAE after the "Arab Spring" protests in 2011. The UAE, while socially liberal in many ways compared to its Middle Eastern neighbors, has strict laws regarding freedom of expression and prohibits political party activities and labor unions. This was particularly evident during the UN climate conference in November, where none of the usual protests occurred outside the venue, raising concerns among activists about the extensive surveillance camera network in the country.