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Defendants in sedition case loyal and sincere: Witnesses

At the latest hearing of what is known as the ‘trial of the clandestine organisation’, in which 94 people are accused of sedition, witnesses described defendants as loyal and sincere, with good morality.

The State Security Circuit of the Supreme Federal Court held its 8^th hearing in Abu Dhabi on Monday, and listened to several defence witnesses.

A 43-year-old Emirati man was the first to take the stand as a defence witness, when the first witness called did not appear.

Presiding Judge Falah Al Hajiri asked the man about his relationship to the defendants, with the witness revealing his wife’s sister was on trial.

He said he had been associated with them in his long-time work in education, and had not seen from them anything except good morals and enthusiasm for the country. He attended National Day celebrations with some of the defendants and testified he heard one repeatedly saying the Rulers of the Emirates were like angels.

The witness went on to say that the members of Al Islah Association were keen on the country.

Lawyer Mohammed Al Zaioudi asked the witness about his knowledge of Al Islah Association. In reply, the witness said he had attended a number of lectures the Association had held in Fujairah.

Lawyer Kassim Al Naqabi asked the witness whether he had interaction with the members after 2010, to which he replied he had.

The next witness, a 55-year-old Emirati, after taking the oath, said the defendants were innocent. In his statement he said the work they had been doing was charitable and humanitarian. He also described the defendants as “sincere” and “loyal”, and said he had not heard them affront this country — had they done so, he would have confronted them, he said.

He also added that he had worked with a group of them, and some were like his children and brothers.

Al Naqabi asked the witness whether he knows about the call of Al Islah, to which he answered the association had been established by a decree by the Ruler of the country in 1974.

A defendant — a well-known jurist in the country — then asked the witness if all the defendants were Sunni and Jamaa Muslims, and if they were allowed to disobey the Ruler.

The witness said all the defendants were Sunni and Jamaa but he emphasised it was not allowed, whatsoever, to protest or disobey the Ruler, who is worthy of respect and appreciation.

Later in proceedings some defendants had been handed over important documents from the prosecution, but they claimed some files were incomplete, while others said they had been exposed to violations in custody. One defendant requested more law books.

The court dismissed a hearing to be held today (Tuesday), to listen to the pleading of the public prosecution, and 12 defendants, whose names were registered.

However, it fixed May 13 and 14 to listen to defendant testimony, while May 12 and 20 were determined to hear the pleading of the defence lawyers.

The court ordered the directors of law enforcement agencies, under the supervision of the Public Prosecution, to hand over all the documents to be immediately delivered to the defendants, as per an earlier order.

The session was attended on Monday by 73 male defendants, 13 female defendants, 123 relatives of the defendants, 17 representatives of the media, five members of civil society organisations, including three from the Emirates Human Rights Association and two from the Jurists Association in the UAE. Also present in court were six defence lawyers, five members of the public prosecution department and the two defence witnesses.

malzarooni@khaleejtimes.com