Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have initiated an investigation and an expedited trial for Bangladeshi nationals who were arrested for protesting against their home government in the Gulf country. The protests in the UAE were a response to weeks of demonstrations in Bangladesh, where protesters were voicing their opposition to a quota system that reserved a significant portion of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in the country's war of independence in 1971.
Following the protests, Bangladesh's top court made a decision to scale back on the controversial quota system, marking a partial victory for the student protesters. In response to the demonstrations in the UAE, the country's attorney general's office has indicted the Bangladeshi nationals on various charges, including gathering in a public place to protest against their home government with the intent to incite unrest, obstructing law enforcement, causing harm to others, and damaging property.
According to the state-owned Emirates News Agency, WAM, the Public Prosecution has ordered the pretrial detention of the individuals based on the preliminary investigation results, pending further inquiries. It is important to note that political parties and labor unions are prohibited in the UAE, which is a federation of seven sheikhdoms. The country has stringent laws that severely restrict freedom of speech, and the majority of local media outlets are either state-owned or state-affiliated.
