UAE Pardons 57 Bangladeshis Imprisoned for Staging Protests

The Facts

• Pres. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has pardoned 57 Bangladeshi citizens who were convicted in July for staging unauthorized protests in the UAE against the then Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

• While the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal sentenced 53 people to 10 years in prison and 11 years to another, three received life sentences.

• The protestors were accused of "crimes of gathering in a public place and protesting against their home government with the intent to incite unrest."