The leader of the United Arab Emirates has pardoned 57 Bangladeshi nationals who were convicted in rapid trials for participating in protests. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan made the decision after a phone call with Bangladesh’s interim prime minister, Muhammad Yunus. The arrests highlighted the strict laws against public protest in the UAE.
The pardons include the cancellation of sentences and arrangements for deportation back to Bangladesh. The protests in the UAE were in response to unrest in Bangladesh over a quota system for government jobs. The demonstrations led to the resignation and fleeing of Bangladesh’s longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Human Rights Watch criticized the arrests as arbitrary and based on peaceful demonstrations. The UAE’s population is mostly expatriates, including a significant number of low-paid laborers from Bangladesh. The strict laws in the UAE restrict speech and prohibit most protests by foreign workers.