UAE: Islamists on trial over Muslim Brotherhood claims

Activists said July's judgement raised serious concerns about the new trail

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Thirty Islamists have gone on trial at a state security court in the UAE, accused of illegally setting up a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The 20 Egyptians and 10 Emiratis are also charged with stealing secrets from the security services and collecting donations without permission.

The defendants deny all the charges and allege they were tortured in detention.

In July, another 69 Islamists were found guilty of attempting to overthrow the country's political system.

They were sentenced to prison terms of up to 10 years.

Torture allegations

Several of those convicted are among the 10 Emiratis who went on trial at a state security court in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, including the human rights defender and lawyer Dr Mohamed al-Mansoori.

Among the 20 Egyptian defendants are three medical doctors, including Ali Ahmed and Mohammed Abdul Monem. Six of the Egyptians are being tried in absentia.

The defendants are said to be members of an Emirati Islamist political society, al-Islah, which prosecutors assert is a branch of the Egypt-based Muslim Brotherhood.

Al-Islah says it favours peaceful reform and denies links to the Brotherhood, which is outlawed in the Gulf state.

Like many of those convicted in July, they say the UAE authorities subjected them to torture in detention and denied them access to legal assistance for many months.

The Emirates Centre for Human Rights said the authorities had failed to investigate or acknowledge the allegations of torture.

"It is difficult for this trial to have any credibility if authorities fail to investigate what are credible allegations of torture. The fear is that this is another trial where defendants are being tried solely for their political beliefs," said the UK-based group's director, Rori Donaghy.

On Monday, Human Rights Watch warned that July's court judgement raised serious concerns about the new trail and called into question the ability of the UAE's judicial system to uphold basic rights of free speech and peaceful association.

The US-based group said the only evidence that suggested any intention by the 69 to overthrow the government had been an alleged confession by one defendant, who subsequently denied all charges in court.

"The court's judgment exposes the rank injustice of the convictions," said Joe Stork, HRW's deputy Middle East director. "Aside from one apparently coerced confession, the judgment describes a political society advocating social justice through peaceful political reform."