A coalition of human rights organizations has released an international statement during the 57^th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, commending the decision by the His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to pardon Bangladeshi nationals who were accused and convicted in the case known in the media as the “gathering case”, and sentenced for committing crimes punishable by law.

The human rights organizations further emphasized that the pardon decision, announced on September 3, 2024, reflects the deeply rooted humanitarian approach of the UAE and its commitment to upholding the values of tolerance stemming from a sound approach and insightful vision of the country’s leadership.

The coalition, led by the Union Association for Human Rights, is composed of more than 20 international, regional, and national human rights organizations, including 9 organizations holding consultative status with the United Nations.

In their international statement, issued alongside the opening of the Human Rights Council’s session, the human rights organizations commended the presidential pardon, which lifted the penalties imposed on defendants and convicts, thereby facilitating their return to their homeland. They lauded the UAE’s justice system and its commitment to the principles of fair and independent legal proceedings. Furthermore, they praised the humane conditions and environment provided during the period of detention and the execution of sentences, noting that these practices align with international standards.

Within the same context, the human rights organizations, in their statement endorsed by twenty-one organizations and published by various human rights and media groups in both English and French, expressed their appreciation for the national mechanisms responsible for implementing the pardon issued by the President of the UAE. They praised the swift action taken by the UAE’s Attorney General to execute the pardon, which involved suspending penalties and facilitating the measures to ensure the return of defendants and convicts to their homeland.

The organizations emphasized the significance of this initiative in fostering peace, tolerance, and human coexistence – values that the UAE is committed to promote across the globe. This approach, which has been central to the UAE’s ethos since the era of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and throughout its civilizational and humanitarian journey, has been reaffirmed by the President of the UAE through the issuance of this humanitarian amnesty decision for defendants and convicts, underscoring the nation’s dedication to promote tolerance and its adherence to noble human values and principles, as consistently reflected in many national, regional and international stances, events and occasions.

In their international statement, the organizations applauded the UAE for its commitment to upholding and respecting the right to freedom of expression in accordance with the country’s laws and regulations, ensuring its protection from any actions or deviations that could jeopardize national security or harm the state’s interests and international relations. They called upon everyone to respect states’ national laws, regulations and legislations, emphasizing the importance of adhering to their legal frameworks that align with international human rights law, which stresses that freedom of expression must not infringe on the rights or reputations of others, nor compromise national security, public order, public health, or public morals.

Union Association for Human Rights
Abu Dhabi – 29 September 2024