Abu Dhabi: The State Security Court at the Federal Supreme Court adjourned on Monday three cases to May 18 and May 25 to announce the verdict and allow one of the defendants to hire a lawyer to represent him.

In the sessions, presided over by Judge Falah Al Hajiri, the court looked at three cases in which defendants were accused of insulting the UAE’s leaders and mocking them in public areas and through social media. Accusations also include insulting the country’s institutions such as courts, public prosecution, and state security.

In the first case, which was against A.S.A., an Emirati, the court adjourned the case to May 18 to announce the verdict after having heard the defendant’s plea.

The defendant had not hired a lawyer to represent him, and instead, presented his own plea.

“There isn’t any tangible physical evidence against me to prove that I insulted the UAE’s leaders. There are no audio or video recordings that prove so either, and there are no pictures or drawings that prove the accusations. This shows that this case was fabricated as I did not commit any of these actions,” the defendant said in his 20-minute plea.

He added, “I respect officials and the UAE’s wise leadership, and I do not remember saying a single word that indicates my intention to mock or verbally abuse them.”

The defendant also claimed that he was under a lot of stress from his work, which leads him to anger, and that under these circumstances, he may have said some things he does not remember.

“I have been working in a public sector company for the past 26 years, and everyone can testify to my commitment to work, my ethics, and that I have never committed any offences. I have never received any warnings about misbehaviour because I have never committed anything of the sort. The accusations against me as well as the testimonials of those who work with me are all untrue and fabricated,” he said.

At the end of his plea, the defendant asked the court to take into consideration his family circumstances and the fact that he has diabetes and high blood pressure, which sometimes lead him to fits of anger and convulsions.

In the second case, another Emirati, A.E.A., was on trial for starting and running an account on social media websites to insult the UAE’s public figures and leaders, and promote radical ideologies and thoughts of terrorist organisations like Daesh and Al Nusra.

The defendant’s lawyer, Ali Al Munaei, presented his plea, saying that his client was innocent as he did not personally put the material online.

“My client cannot read and write smoothly as he has a problem with his eyes that does not allow him to concentrate, write, or type on a computer screen, There are also no documents or official papers which show that my client wired money to terrorist groups in Syria or any other countries,” the lawyer said, asking the court to free the defendant considering his health condition.

The judge adjourned the case to May 25.

In the last case before the court on Monday, the judge also adjourned it to May 25 after the lawyer appointed by the Ministry of Justice to represent the defendant apologised, saying that he could not continue to work on the case.

The judge then asked the defendant, N.M.F., an Emirati, to appoint another lawyer but the defendant said he was unable to and asked the court to appoint one for him. The judge also asked the defendant’s father, who was present at the session, to hire a lawyer for his son, and he agreed.

The judge asked the prosecution to ease some measures to allow the defendant to see his parents, and adjourned the case to hear the new lawyer’s plea.