The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government has released 75 more Bangladeshi expatriates, who were arrested for staging demonstrations in the Middle Eastern country expressing solidarity with July's Anti-Discrimination Movement in the country.
With the latest pardons, the number of Bangladeshis pardoned and released under general amnesty in the UAE has stood at 188, says a press release issued by the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment on Friday.
Earlier, on September 3, some 57 Bangladeshis who were convicted by the UAE Federal Court for staging protests were pardoned by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Prior to that breakthrough, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had a phone conversation where Prof Yunus requested the release of convicted Bangladeshi expatriates.
Like the previous incident of releasing expatriates, UAE's Attorney-General Dr Hamad Al Shamsi issued an order to halt the implementation of the sentences of 75 Bangladeshis and commence deportation procedures.
Many of the expatriate Bangladeshis were arrested after staging demonstration expressing solidarity with the quota-reform movement in Bangladesh. Of them, 57 were convicted and given jail on different terms. Three were given life-term prison sentences, 53 were given 10-year of jail sentence and the rest one was given 11-year jail sentence.
