In a controversial legal move, the Criminal Chamber of the Federal Supreme Court of the United Arab Emirates handed down life sentences to 24 individuals on June 26, reversing a previous judgment that had dismissed their cases. This decision escalates the total number of convictions related to this matter to 83, with 67 individuals now serving life sentences.

Human Rights Watch swiftly criticized the Supreme Court's decision, describing the trial as "fundamentally unfair" and plagued by serious legal shortcomings, such as restricted access to case materials, limited legal representation, coerced testimonies, allegations of abuse, and issues of double jeopardy. Moreover, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has criticized the UAE’s terrorism laws for their ambiguity, which often targets individuals advocating for political reforms rather than actual acts of terrorism.

The recent mass trial is the second largest of its kind in recent UAE history, following the infamous 2013 “UAE94” trial where 69 dissidents were imprisoned after pushing for democratic reforms. Many of those currently sentenced had previously faced convictions in the UAE94 trial under similar charges, suggesting a pattern of repressive measures against human rights activists, academics, and political dissenters.

International human rights bodies, including UN-affiliated experts, continue to advocate for the unconditional release of the convicted individuals, arguing that the use of counter-terrorism legislation to suppress dissent violates the principles of due process. Despite international outcry, the UAE government insists that the legal proceedings adhered to both local and international standards.

Human Rights Watch has called for the immediate annulment of the recent judgments, stating, "Given that the charges are based solely on defendants’ peaceful practice of their human rights and that the convictions were based on a fundamentally unfair trial, Emirati authorities should immediately overturn the convictions and release all defendants."

This case has drawn significant attention from the international community and poses serious questions about the state of human rights and freedom of expression within the UAE.