2023-12-09T16:51:53+00:00
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/ A group of protesters organized a “rare” demonstration in Dubai, today, Saturday, at the venue of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), to demand the release of pro-democracy activists imprisoned in the Emirates and Egypt, while the Emirates granted “rights” to protest in order to organize At the conference, Human Rights Watch described the demonstration as “historic” in a country that prohibits “political gatherings.”
About 25 people participated in the protest, raising pictures of the two Emirati prisoners, Ahmed Mansour and Mohammed Al-Siddiq, and the Egyptian-British activist, Alaa Abdel Fattah.
Human Rights Watch described the demonstration as “historic” because it took place in the UAE, which “shows little tolerance for protests and bans organized groups such as political parties and trade unions.”
As a condition for hosting COP28, the UAE agreed to allow demonstrations to be organized on its soil in accordance with United Nations rules that require obtaining approval for any demonstration in advance and organizing it only at the summit venue.
Most of the demonstrations took place in the “Blue Zone”, an area under the control of the United Nations and not subject to local laws.
An Emirati official said, “With the aim of adopting a spirit that includes everyone, peaceful gatherings in the designated areas are welcome.”
The official added, “The UAE does not comment on individual cases after judicial rulings are issued.”
Unlike previous climate talks that witnessed widespread protests, including COP26 in Glasgow in 2021 and COP21 in Paris, no demonstrations took place outside the venue of the COP28 summit.
Joy Shea, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, said, “These names (of political prisoners) have never been mentioned publicly before in the UAE, and their release has never been called for in this way.”
Al-Siddiq was imprisoned in the UAE in 2013 along with 68 others on charges of planning to overthrow the government after a trial that Amnesty International described as grossly unfair.
An Emirati court sentenced Mansoor to ten years in prison in 2018 after he was charged with charges including using social media to harm national unity and social harmony and harm the country’s reputation.
Abdel Fattah was sentenced to five years in prison in 2021 on charges of promoting false news. He has been arrested in Egypt more than once since the Arab Spring demonstrations in 2011.