UAE Supreme Court overturns ruling, sentences 24 to life in terror case

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Supreme Court issued a ruling on June 26, partially overturning a previous verdict by the State Security Chamber of the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeals. The court reconvicted 24 defendants in the case publicly known as the “Terrorist Justice and Dignity Organisation” case.

The defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment for collaborating with the “Terrorist Justice and Dignity Organisation” and for financing the Al-Islah Terrorist Organisation. The court also ordered the confiscation of all funds and items seized in connection with these crimes.

Attorney General’s appeal

Attorney General Chancellor Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi had partially appealed the appellate court’s earlier ruling, which dismissed the criminal charges against the defendants for collaboration and financing, citing their prior trial in Case No. 79 of 2012 – State Security.

Dr. Al Shamsi argued that the dismissal was legally flawed in its application of the law and should be overturned. He emphasised that the court should have applied the penalties prescribed for the more serious offenses of financing and collaborating with a terrorist organisation, while accounting for any sentence already served under the previous ruling.

Legal basis for overturning the verdict

The Supreme Court found that the earlier ruling in Case No. 79 of 2012 had only convicted the defendants of a single offense—the establishment and management of the Al-Islah Organisation under Article 180/1 of the Penal Code. It did not address the separate crimes of financing and collaboration, both of which are covered under Federal Law No. 1 of 2004 on Combating Terrorist Crimes and carry distinct and more severe penalties.

Reconviction and rationale

After reviewing the Attorney General’s appeal, the Federal Supreme Court partially overturned the previous judgment and reconvicted 24 defendants, sentencing them to life imprisonment.
The court based its decision on the clear legal distinction between the incidents in the two cases, ruling that they do not share the same cause or subject matter. Each constitutes a separate criminal act subject to its own punishment under the law.

Previous case does not block new charges

According to the Supreme Court, the ruling in Case No. 79 of 2012 does not prevent prosecution in the current case for the crimes of financing and collaboration. The appellate court’s dismissal of these charges based on the prior ruling was deemed a misapplication of the law, warranting the partial overturning of the judgment for the defendants named in the Attorney General’s appeal.

Background on the case

The State Security Chamber of the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal had previously, in Case No. 87 of 2023—also publicly known as the “Terrorist Justice and Dignity Organisation” case—convicted 53 defendants, identified as leaders and members of the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood organisation, along with six companies. Sentences ranged from life and temporary imprisonment to fines totalling AED 20 million, while one defendant was acquitted.

Final conviction count

With the latest ruling by the Federal Supreme Court, the total number of convicted individuals in this case has risen to 83 out of the 84 referred to trial.