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UAE court convicts 30 Muslim Brotherhood men
UAE court convicts 30 Muslim Brotherhood men Staff Reporter / 22 January 2014 State Security Circuit at the Federal Supreme Court orders the convicts to be jailed for terms ranging from three months to five years. Thirty people accused of links to the Muslim Brotherhood, and charged with setting up a branch of the organisation in the UAE, were sentenced by the State Security Circuit at the Federal Supreme Court to jail terms ranging from three months to five years. The verdicts were issued in the presence of 24 accused. Six others were sentenced in absentia. Fair trial, says human rights association In a statement, the Emirates Human Rights Association said it had followed up the trials of 20 Egyptians and 10 Emiratis, who were allegedly involved in the Egyptian Muslims brotherhood cell, at the Supreme Federal court in Abu Dhabi. “The prosecutions were held in a transparent, clear and open aura,” the statement said, noting that the defendants, throughout the trial, were defending themselves and through lawyers. The trial was attended by representatives from Egypt’s embassy and Egyptian Journalists Syndicate. In reply to a question on the arrest and torture, Jameela Al Hamili, member of the board of directors of the association said the procedures of arrest are legal, and no complaint on torture was sent. news@khaleejtimes.com Earlier, the court heard statements from the accused, the defence team and witnesses and reviewed the reports of experts. The court also ordered the dissolution of the Brotherhood in the UAE, closure of all its offices, as well as confiscation of seized equipment. It also ordered the deportation of the foreign national accused after completion of their jail terms. According to a copy of the verdict which has been obtained by Khaleej Times , Medhat Rajab Abdellah Ammar was sentenced to five years in jail, while Saleh Faraj Daifallah Al Malhatani, Salah Mohammed Rizq Al Mashad, Ibrahim Abdel Aziz Ibrahim Ahmed, Murad Mohammed Hamid Othman Badawi, Othman Abdel Rahman Suliman Matkees, Al Sayyid Awaad Hifni Moussa, Hamada Abdel Aziz Abdel Maqsood and Saleh Mohammed Saleh Al Dhufairti were each sentenced to four years in prison. Ahmed Mahmoud Taha was acquitted of the charges. Ahmed Labeeb Jaffar , Hassan Mohammed Hassan Ahmed, Khalid Mohammed Abdullah Al Shaiba Al Nuaimi, Hamad Hassan Ali Reqait, Ali Saeed Al Ghandi, Rashid Omran Al Shamsi, Mohammed Ali Saleh Al Mansour, Tariq Ibrahim Abdel Rahim Al Qasim and Hussein Ali Abdullah Al Najjar were ordered to serve a year in prison. Ahmed Rashid Al Taboor Al Nuaimi, Hassan Mohammed Hassan Ahmed, Khalid Mohammed Abdullah Al Shaiba Al Nuaimi, Hamad Hassan Ali Reqait and Saleh Mohammed Saleh Al Dhufairi each received three months, while another defendant Hamad Hassan Ali Reqait was let off with a fine of Dh3,000. The foreign nationals accused in the plan are to be deported after serving out their jail terms. The sitting judge, in his ruling said: “Inspired by the rules of the Islamic Shariah, and guided by the principles of the law, the court has given the defendants to prove their innocene and has conducted the trial with utmost transparency as per the UAE constitution and international conventions.” “This court had issued its verdict studying the documents and results of investigations, as well listening to the statements of the defendants,” the judge said. The Public Prosecution stressed that the accused intended to set up a branch affiliated to the Egypt-based Muslim Brotherhood. “They structured the organisation and set up a general administrative centre under which there are central committees and offices, which are located all over the country.” The Muslim Brotherhood members collected monthly subscription fee, the prosecution told the court. Their actions posed a threat to state security, the prosecution said, and added that their investigation was held in a fair manner. Defence lawyers, meanwhile, challenged the role of the investigators and alleged the evidence gathered did not prove any wrongdoing. “The charges against the accused have been cooked up, and charges of theft are not true because there is no tangible evidence,” the defence lawyers told the court. — news@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Winners of the 2014 Zayed Future Energy Prize announced
Winners of the 2014 Zayed Future Energy Prize announced (Wam) / 20 January 2014 The Zayed Future Energy Prize honoured 9 winners for their achievements and excellence in advancing renewable energy and sustainability worldwide. General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, reaffirmed on Monday that under the leadership of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, sustainable development has been placed at the core of the national strategy. In the spirit of safeguarding the nation and its people, the government’s international collaborations are aimed at securing peace and prosperity for all humankind. His remarks were made at the 2014 Zayed Future Energy Prize awards ceremony, held at the Emirates Palace on Monday. Marking the sixth year, the Zayed Future Energy Prize honoured nine winners for their outstanding achievements and excellence in advancing renewable energy and sustainability worldwide. The winners, across five categories, are ABB, Abellon CleanEnergy, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, battery pioneer Wang Chuanfu and five high schools from around the world. General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan emphasised that the Zayed Future Energy Prize underscores the UAE’s commitment to address the global energy and climate challenges; adding “through the Prize, we are not only recognising tremendous achievement in renewable energy and sustainability, but also funding the organisations, schools and individuals committed to sustainable development among communities around the world.” He added: “This is exactly what the Zayed Future Energy Prize set out to do through honouring the legacy that the late Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, God rest his soul, instilled in us.” The annual US$4 million prize, established by the UAE government, recognises companies, organisations, schools and individuals across the world that have made significant contributions to the future of renewable energy and sustainability. The prize is awarded in five distinct categories: Large Corporation, Lifetime Achievement, Small and Medium Enterprise (SME), Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) and the Global High Schools Prize. In his opening remarks, Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Director-General of the Zayed Future Energy Prize, welcomed General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan; thanking him for his direction and support which have been “instrumental and the leading force behind its success.” “More than ever, the world needs innovators, technologies and initiatives that can address our pressing energy challenges,” said Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber. “Our wise leadership established this Prize in honour of our late founding father, Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul. Now in its sixth year, the Prize has created a strong group of alumni who continue to champion breakthrough ideas, technologies and programs,” added Dr Al Jaber. “The collective efforts of our winners and finalists are positively impacting communities around the world. Today, alumni of the Prize are delivering access to energy and water to millions, championing the deployment of renewable energy and are creating job and education opportunities.” The Global High Schools Prize category – in its second year – was launched to recognise and encourage young people to incorporate renewable energy and sustainability into their schools. Five schools from five regions were each awarded US$100,000 for their proposed sustainability projects. The five winners are New York-based Bronx Design & Construction Academy from the Americas region; Gheorghe Rosca Codreanu National College in Romania representing Europe; Nkhata Bay School Authority in Malawi for Africa; Kalkeri Sangeet Vidyalaya in India for the Asia region; and Tonga High School representing Oceania. “This year, we saw a record number of Global High School submissions. It is inspiring to see the youth of today participate in such large numbers. It is a strong indication of their demand for a more sustainable future,” continued Dr Al Jaber. An annual award, the prize is managed by Masdar, on behalf of the Abu Dhabi government and seeks to award achievements and innovation in the fields of renewable energy and sustainability, as well as to educate and inspire future generations. For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
General Shaikh Mohammed opens World Future Energy Summit
General Shaikh Mohammed opens World Future Energy Summit 20 January 2014 As the centrepiece of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, WFES 2014 expects to receive 30,000 attendees from over 172 countries. General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, attended the official opening ceremony of the 7th edition of the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) being held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre (ADNEC), as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. The summit runs from January 20-22, 2014 and is held under the theme: “Powering the Future of Energy Innovation”, saw the participation of a number of heads of states and governments, representatives of international organisations, international companies and experts. The World Future Energy Conference (WFES), which is the largest summit of energy experts, will share the best international practices, unveil new products and discuss sustainable solutions to tackle present and future energy challenges. As the centrepiece of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, WFES 2014 expects to receive 30,000 attendees from over 172 countries, up from the 152 countries that participated last year. Since its inception in 2008, WFES has grown to become the leading discussion platform for renewable energy, clean technology and sustainability, and it is now considered the pre-eminent international event for government and industry decision makers to find viable, sustainable solutions to the world’s growing energy challenges. Hosted by Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company, WFES 2014 is the centerpiece of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, the largest ever gathering on sustainability in the Middle East. The event comprises a world-class conference that offers an unparalleled forum for political, business and intellectual debate and a large-scale exhibition which facilitates networking and transactions between manufacturers, suppliers and customers across both the public and private sectors. Global decision and opinion makers include UAE Minister of Energy Suhail bin Mohamed Faraj Fares Al Mazrouei; Rachel Kyte, vice-president for sustainable development at the World Bank; and Maria van der Hoeven, executive director of the International Energy Agency. Around 125 speakers will address delegates during the conference programme, on topics such as waste-to-energy, natural gas and the evolving energy mix, energy efficiency, and renewable technology innovation. Other high-level speakers at the event include Marie-Jose Nadeau, president of the World Energy Council; Saif Al Sayari, executive officer of energy solutions, Taqa; Santiago Seage, CEO of Abengoa Solar; and Kazuo Furukawa, chairman of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation. More than 900 exhibiting companies will take part in WFES, International Water Summit, and the inaugural EcoWASTE, with more than 200 new products to be unveiled at the three shows. New and expanded exhibition features at WFES this year include the Project and Finance Village, showcasing over 20 renewable energy projects from the region and beyond. For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
