Two Emiratis charged for joining Al Islah

Two Emiratis charged for joining Al Islah

The public prosecution of the state security circuit charged two Emiratis for joining Al Islah organisation, an affiliate of the Muslim Brother-hood. 

One of the defendants was present in the courtroom, while the other's lawyer apologised for not attending the hearing. His lawyer said his client was unable to attend due to health reasons.

The defence attorney of the pair requested the court to post-pone the hearing to view and study the investigation files.The defendant told the court that he had not viewed the files and investigation papers, nor had he been briefed on the indictments sheet, saying that he was incarcerated in a confinement cell, and the management of the prison did not allow him to meet with his lawyer.

The defendant asked the judge to be shifted to a public jail to improve his imprisonment conditions. The judge, however asked the public prosecution to take note of the demands of the defendant, and adjourned the hearing to May 2, 2016.

Al-Islah, a UAE-based group, is banned in the country for its alleged links to Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. UAE authorities have cracked down on members of al-Islah and jailed scores of its members convicted of forming an illegal branch of the Brotherhood. Al-Islah denies any such link, but says it shares some of the Brotherhood's ideology.

 

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