Dubai, December 9, 2023 - In an unprecedented move, a small group of about 25 activists staged a rare protest at the COP28 U.N. climate summit site in Dubai, demanding the release of pro-democracy activists imprisoned in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt. The demonstrators held up pictures of Emirati prisoners Ahmed Mansoor and Mohamed al-Siddiq, as well as Egyptian-British political activist Alaa Abdel Fattah.

The protest, described as historic by Human Rights Watch, saw participants challenging the UAE's limited tolerance for public dissent and its strict ban on organized groups such as political parties and labor unions. This demonstration marked a significant moment as the names of political prisoners were publicly demanded in the UAE, where such discussions have been rare.

The UAE, as a condition of hosting COP28, had agreed to allow approved protests at the summit site under U.N. guidelines. Most previous protests have taken place within the summit's "blue zone," an area under U.N. control where local laws do not apply.

An Emirati official, while affirming the spirit of inclusivity and welcoming peaceful assemblies in designated areas, stated that the UAE does not comment on individual cases following judicial sentences. However, the protesters persistently called for the release of the imprisoned activists, highlighting their cases during the international climate change conference.

Mohamed al-Siddiq, along with 68 others, was jailed in the UAE in 2013 on charges of plotting to overthrow the government in a trial that Amnesty International described as grossly unfair. Ahmed Mansoor, on the other hand, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2018 for crimes including using social media to harm national unity and social harmony, damaging the country's reputation.

Alaa Abdel Fattah, a prominent figure who has faced multiple detentions in Egypt since the 2011 "Arab Spring" uprising, was most recently sentenced in 2021 to five years in prison on charges of spreading fake news.

Unlike previous U.N. climate conferences, such as COP26 in Glasgow in 2021 and COP21 in Paris in 2015, which witnessed large-scale protest rallies, the COP28 summit site in Dubai has seen no demonstrations outside its premises.

Human Rights Watch researcher Joey Shea expressed the significance of this protest, stating that the names of political prisoners in the UAE had rarely been publicly mentioned before, let alone demanded for their release.

While the protest sought to bring attention to the plight of these activists, it remains to be seen how their demands will be addressed by the respective governments of the UAE and Egypt. The release of Ahmed Mansoor, Mohamed al-Siddiq, and Alaa Abdel Fattah continues to be a rallying cry for those advocating for human rights and democracy in the region.

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