Providing Legal Support During COP28 in Dubai

CliDef’s COP28 Legal Protection Center provided a range of legal information and support services during COP28, where activists in Dubai could access urgent legal help if they needed it.

Leading up to COP28 in Dubai in December 2023, advocates worldwide sounded the alarm about hosting the event in the United Arab Emirates, an oil-rich Gulf country that criminalizes a broad array of expression, including criticism of the UAE or other States’ governments, its institutions, and leaders. In this restrictive environment, CliDef educated attendees about the legal risks they would face and helped them deal with problems during and after returning home.

Our Work

CliDef launched a Legal Protection Center, which included a series of information webinars before the conference, a comprehensive “Know the Law '' guide, a hotline, and on-the-ground monitoring during COP28, where activists could access urgent legal help. CliDef worked closely with youth and indigenous movements to ensure protection for the most vulnerable attendees.

Over the two-week conference, CliDef documented dozens of concerning cases by climate defenders experiencing freedom of expression restrictions. In addition to limiting movement and activities outside the UN-governed “Blue Zone,”  UAE security tore down event posters, threatened activists with debadging, and intimidated attendees through harassment and surveillance.  CliDef documented several cases where well-known activists never secured visas, despite having applied long in advance of the conference, and assisted those who experienced legal problems upon their return home.