Unprecedented protests emerge in UAE amid COP 28 as activists raise voices on global issues
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) witnessed unprecedented protests during the ongoing COP 28 on the sidelines of the United Nations conference on climate change in Dubai.
The UAE authorities allowed select activists to conduct a demonstration, addressing strict conditions.
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The protest, deemed a "rare scene" by the Associated Press, covered various issues, including the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and environmental crises.
The activists from international organizations, previously banned from entering the country, to voice their concerns in Dubai.
Sunday's demonstration, focusing on the Israel-Hamas conflict, marked the largest such event in the UAE, according to reports.
Human Rights Watch's Joey Shea acknowledged the limited allowance for protests during the 28th Cup but cautioned against misconceptions about the country's human rights stance.
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While recognizing the UAE's effort to project a positive international image through limited protests, Shea emphasized that reality contradicts the image.
“It ends up portraying a very false image that the UAE respects human rights when in fact it doesn't."
The UAE, comprised of seven emirates under the rule of Abu Dhabi, prohibits political parties and labor unions. The ruler of each emirate holds concentrated power, determined through a hereditary process.
The country restricts freedom of expression, with most local media either government-owned or affiliated. Laws also criminalize protests by foreign workers.
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The majority of the UAE's population, consisting of 9.2 million people, comprises immigrants, with only 10% being Emiratis.
Many expatriates, often low-wage workers, contribute to their home countries by sending remittances.
Despite these challenges, the UN and the UAE agreed to uphold the right to freedom of expression during the 28th Cup summit.
