Protesters at UN COP28 climate summit demonstrate for imprisoned Emirati, Egyptian activists

By JON GAMBRELL
Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Protesters at the United Nations’ COP28 climate summit have demonstrated for imprisoned human rights activists in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, the past and current host of the negotiations. Demonstrators carried signs Saturday bearing the image of Emirati activist Ahmed Mansoor and Egyptian pro-democracy activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah. It’s part of incredibly limited, but still-unprecedented protests being allowed to take place within the UAE from within the U.N.-administered Blue Zone for the summit. Just before the event, however, activists still had to cover the signs after being told it would guarantee the safety of the event. Joey Shea, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, said it showed “a shocking level of censorship.”