Human Rights in UAE:
In the most recent times in UAE, extensive legal reforms were introduced in late 2021. The main motive behind this is to enhance the businesses and economic opportunities along with a stable social environment. All these changes are viewed and analyzed by Human Rights Watch. The legal reforms are done to properly, carefully and gully address the concerns regarding the civil and political rights of the people. Further, we will have an overview of these legal reforms and explain the possible impact on the freedom of expression. Implications are also accounted for concerning the freedom of expression and other human rights in the country.
Context:
In the year 2021, the UAE government officials announced several legal changes. They have amended around 40 laws. The main stated goal of the changes is to strengthen the economy as a whole. Besides, they are aimed at ensuring the rights of individuals and institutions are secured and protected. A great number of legal alterations appear to broaden personal freedom. Still, the laws continue to maintain restrictions over the key rights including free expression and association.
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Human Rights Concerns:
The legal framework of UAE has faced severe criticism and all the credit goes to its restrictions and limitations. The restrictions date back to the legal laws of 2011. In the past, there has been a sustained crackdown on the independent voices in the country against the country. Freedom of speech is available but no one can move against the rulers and government. The voices of prominent personalities can also be watched and stopped if it is found that they are moving against the government. As we said before that, freedom of speech is available but you can’t move against the country or rulers. It can be treated under several laws like Cyber Crime, Civil Laws, or moving against the state, if the people are found guilty.
Key provisions and their implications:
The limitations on free expression is uplifted to a certain extent with some limitations. The law still maintains prohibitions on criticism of the rulers and leaders. It bans the speech, words, and narrative that could incite social and political unrest in the country.
It is attached with severe penalties and punitive measures for vaguely defined charges. Nevertheless, it continues to criminalize acts like defamation, insults, and slander. It maintains its stance over the spreading of false, fake, or misleading information. Protests and demonstrations are still prohibited in the country.
Surveillance and Privacy Concerns are also under the radar. The officials and authorities have a long series of history of spying on international figures. This may include eminent figures including journalists, lawyers, activists, world leaders, and others.
The spying is made possible with the help of sophisticated spyware software. This technology has raised serious concerns. It was an open threat to privacy and security. This surveillance system has led to various prominent arrests and abuse of individuals. This arrest of popular human rights activist Ahmed Mansoor is the example. The Violations of International Standards have been addressed in the provisions. The provisions in the new penal code and cybercrime law have been introduced. It violates the Constitution of UAE and international human rights standards.
Still, the country does consider it as an authoritative source. The laws do reflect the international best practices. The 2021 penal code reintroduces and adds discriminatory provisions against the women of the UAE. The laws have criminalized consensual extramarital sex and sodomy. All these provisions disproportionately impacted the women of the UAE. Nonetheless, it has permitted only men to register or file a complaint. Besides, the reforms also provide penalties for crime including imprisonment, sentence, and hefty fines.
The legal reforms have impacted the Media Freedoms. The new laws have significant implications for media freedoms including online and social media platforms. Any type of Defamation is still a criminal action in the UAE. This has serious repercussions for media freedom and private communications. Any kind of provisions in the laws criminalizes the use of the Internet. The misuse of the Internet for planning, managing, organizing, or advocating demonstrations without government permits is a punishable act.
Suggested Recommendations:
The Human Rights Watch is a reputable authority for equality. The aim is to bring freedom of speech and individual freedoms to the country. They have offered guarantees over various human rights, including freedom of expression.
It is important for upholding human rights in the Emirates. The government of UAE has made sincere efforts to bring a change. All the alterations to legal reforms are aimed at bringing increased economic opportunities and social stability to the UAE. Nevertheless, it is significant to understand all the legal changes and their impact.
For better knowledge of legal reforms, the advocates of human rights and freedom need to analyze it from a larger perspective. Still there is a lot of space for further improvement which is likely to take place in the near future.