Apex court refers 6 terror cases to appeal court

Abu Dhabi - The cases which have been referred to the Appeal Court include inciting hatred among citizens

The Federal Supreme Court has referred five state security cases to the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal recently.
The referral order falls in line with a decree issued based on a federal law No (11) of the year 2016 that amended some of the provisions of the federal law No (3) of the year 1983 regarding the federal judicial power.
The cases which have been referred to the Appeal Court include inciting hatred among citizens and urging them to join terror groups like Daesh.
Of the five cases, one pertains to GCC citizen A.M.R. who was accused of posting information on his Twitter page that encourages people to join the terror group Daesh.
The suspect described the Daesh militants as mujahideen or warriors. He also posted tweets that offended a brotherly country, which could have hurt the country's relations with the UAE. He also placed offensive information against the UAE.
The suspects also include an Emirati, identified as Kh.A.H., who was charged with joining Daesh in Syria.
In other cases, an Arab identified as M.F.Sh was accused of offending the symbols of the country and a GCC citizen S.A.A charged for joining Syrian-based terrorist outfit Ahrar Al Sham.
Two other suspects N.A.S, (GCC citizen) and H.A.H, (Arab), have been arraigned for secretly taking part in a clandestine group the Muslim Brotherhood, which was disbanded in 2012.
The apex court also ordered the suspects to be remanded to police custody.
The amended law makes the penal circuit of the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal to consider the lawsuits that pertain to crimes which affects national security, forging documents and official stamps of any of the federal authorities, and counterfeiting (whether these crimes are committed inside or outside the country).
Know the amended law
Under the Federal law No (11) of 2016 that amended some of the provisions of the federal law No (3) of the year 1983, crimes which could have a direct effect on the interests of the nation, will be referred to Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal. Earlier national security lawsuits were referred directly to the Federal Supreme Court.
The new law came into effect on November 29, 2016.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi