Emirati gets 7 years for joining Brotherhood

A court in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) yesterday sentenced a man to seven years in jail after finding him guilty of joining the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.

The ruling was issued after the man was convicted of carrying out the Islamist group’s instructions, the UAE’s official news agency reported.

It added that the man had been found guilty of running charity works such as collecting alms and other donations that the court claimed were used to fund the group’s activities.

Last year, the UAE added the Muslim Brotherhood to its list of “terrorist” organisations.

Meanwhile, the UAE Federal Court heard the appeal of another citizen, who was imprisoned for accusations of collaboration with a foreign state. It said the man told that foreign state the whereabouts of his work and this harms national security as he is a policeman.

The defence called for the release of this citizen, but court was adjourned until March.

Both the defendants went on trial without the attendance of their relatives, mass media or representatives of NGOs.