SC reconvicts 24 defendants for life in terror-related case

In its session held on Thursday, the Criminal Chamber of the Federal Supreme Court ruled to partially overturn the judgment issued by the State Security Chamber at the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal and to reconvict 24 defendants in the case known publicly as the “Terrorist Justice and Dignity Organisation” case.

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The court sentenced the defendants to life imprisonment for collaborating with the “Terrorist Justice and Dignity Organisation,” and providing funds to the “Al Islah Terrorist Organisation,” in addition to ordering the confiscation of all funds and items seized in connection with these crimes.

Attorney General, Chancellor Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, had partially appealed the appellate court's ruling that dismissed the criminal case against the defendants for collaborating with the “Terrorist Justice and Dignity Organisation” and financing the “Allslah Terrorist Organisation," citing their prior trial in Case No.79 of 2012 — State Security. The Attorney General argued that the ruling was legally flawed in its application of the law, and should therefore be overturned. He emphasised that the court should have applied the penalties prescribed for the more serious offenses of financing and collaborating with a terrorist organisation, while accounting for any portion of the sentence already served under the previous ruling.

The court’s decision to dismiss the criminal case for these two offenses based on a final ruling issued in Case No. 79 of 2012 — State Security Crimes — was misplaced.