Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal on Sunday sentenced 57 Bangladeshi nationals, who gathered and incited riots in several streets across the UAE on Friday. The court sentenced three of the accused to life imprisonment for calling for demonstrations and inciting riots to pressure their home government. Another 53 defendants received ten-year prison terms, with one, who entered the country illegally and participated in the riot, being sentenced to eleven years.
The court also ordered their deportation at the end of their prison terms and the confiscation of all seized devices.
This ruling follows an immediate investigation and referral to an expedited trial, as directed by Chancellor Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, UAE Attorney-General.
The defendants were brought to trial after an investigation led by a team of 30 investigators confirmed their involvement in gathering in public, inciting unrest, disrupting public security, and promoting such gatherings and protests, including recording and disseminating audiovisual footage of these actions online. Several of the defendants confessed to the crimes with which they were accused.
During the trial, covered by the media, the Public Prosecution demanded the maximum penalty for the accused.
According to a statement released by the prosecution on Saturday, the protesters disrupted transportation and caused damage to both public and private property. The statement also noted that the suspects called for the demonstrations, recorded videos of the events, and uploaded them online.
On Saturday, the UAE Attorney-General has ordered an immediate investigation and trial for Bangladeshi expatriates charged with rioting, disruption, and damaging property.
Earlier, several Bangladeshi nationals were arrested for protesting against their home government and were investigated by a team from the Public Prosecution.
