UAE's top court reconvicts 24 defendants in terror-related case

Criminal Chamber of the Federal Supreme Court overturned previous judgment

After the latest court decision, the number of people convicted in the case has risen to 83. Wam

The Criminal Chamber of the Federal Supreme Court on Thursday reconvicted 24 defendants accused of terror-related offences.

The UAE's highest court ruled to partially overturn a judgment issued by the State Security Chamber at the Abu Dhabi Federal Court as part of what is publicly referred to as the "Terrorist Justice and Dignity Organisation" case, state news agency Wam reported on Friday.

In the latest hearing, the court sentenced the defendants to life imprisonment for collaborating with the Terrorist Justice and Dignity Organisation and providing funds to the "Al-Islah Terrorist Organisation", in addition to ordering the confiscation of all funds and items seized in connection with these crimes.

Attorney General, Chancellor Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, had partially appealed the appellate court's ruling that had dismissed the criminal case against the 24.

The Attorney General argued that the ruling was legally flawed in its application of the law and should therefore be overturned.

He said the court should have applied the penalties prescribed for the more serious offences of financing and collaborating with a terrorist organisation, while accounting for any portion of the sentence already served under the previous ruling.

The previous judgment convicted the defendants of only a single crime, namely the establishment and management of the Al-Islah Organisation as stipulated, and did not address the separate crimes of financing and collaborating with a terrorist organisation, which carry more severe penalties.

The Federal Supreme Court reviewed the Attorney General’s appeal and in its session on Thursday ruled to partially overturn the judgment and reconvict 24 defendants, sentencing them to life imprisonment.

The court based its decision on the clear legal distinction between the incidents in the two cases, which invalidates any claim that they share the same cause or subject matter. Each incident constitutes an independent criminal act subject to its own punishment under the law.

The State Security Chamber of the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal had previously convicted 53 people who were leaders and members of the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood organisation, in addition to six companies. Sentences ranged from life and temporary imprisonment to fines totalling Dh20 million ($5.4 million), while one defendant was acquitted.

After the ruling by the State Security Chamber of the Federal Supreme Court, the number of people convicted in this case has risen to 83 out of 84 referred to trial.