Bangladeshis jailed in UAE for supporting protests at home

Dozens of Bangladeshi workers in the United Arab Emirates have been convicted and given lengthy prison sentences for demonstrating in support of protesters in their home country.
An Emirati court announced harsh penalties for the illegal street protest in Dubai, even though it was directed at the Bangladesh government rather than local authorities.
Three of the protesters received life sentences, 53 were handed ten years in prison and one was sentenced to 11 years in jail. They will all be deported when they finish their sentences, UAE state media reported.
In videos shared on social media, dozens of protesters were filmed marching down a street in Dubai holding banners and chanting against the Bangladeshi government. Mass protests have broken out across Bangladesh over the quota-based recruitment for civil service jobs, which opponents say will favour supporters of Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister.
This weekend, the Supreme Court in Bangladesh scrapped the quota policy, which guaranteed 30 per cent of government jobs for the children of veterans who fought in the 1971 war for independence from Pakistan.
At least 174 people have died, including several police officers, after protests spread from the capital of Dhaka across the country and turned violent — resulting in more than 2,500 arrests.
The expatriates in the UAE were arrested for “gathering in a public place and protesting against their home government with the intent to incite unrest,” according to state media. The court passed the sentences on Sunday after an expedited investigation.
Protests are strictly outlawed in the UAE, where a majority of its population of ten million people are foreigners on residency visas, many of them labourers from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
The state news service WAM quoted a witness who said that “the defendants gathered and organised large-scale marches in several streets of the UAE in protest against decisions made by the Bangladeshi government”.
Rights groups have criticised the Gulf country for cracking down on protesters and dissidents. Earlier this month 43 Emiratis were sentenced to life in prison for “terrorist” links after a mass trial.
A student at the UAE branch of New York University was also deported earlier this year after shouting “free Palestine” at a graduation ceremony.
Devin Kenney, a researcher for Amnesty International, said the Bangladeshis case was “the second mass trial in the UAE this month, with dozens of people sentenced to huge prison terms literally overnight, on charges involving no element of violence”. Kenney said the “extreme reaction to the mere existence of a public protest on Emirati soil shows that the state places great priority on suppressing any manifestation of dissent in the country”.
The UAE, a growing finance and tourism hub, has attracted millions of investors and job seekers to what has become the region’s most liveable cities, particularly Dubai where many millionaires have set up homes and businesses, attracted by its zero income taxes and luxurious properties.
However, the authorities show little tolerance for political statements and organising, with their backers arguing it would jeopardise its status as a peaceful and multicultural country that avoided the turmoil of the Arab Spring protests.
Online speech is also restricted, with what could be construed as defamation punishable by fines. Criticising other governments is also banned, as are insults. A TikTok influencer was arrested last year for posing in Emirati dress while throwing around money at a car showroom, in what authorities said was an insult to citizens.
In its travel advice for the country, the Foreign Office advises: “Swearing and making rude gestures (including online) are illegal as they are considered obscene acts. You can be jailed or deported. Take particular care when dealing with the police and other officials.”