“The German government has a responsibility here to ensure its ally, the UAE, does not feel confident that it can lock up German citizens who have committed absolutely no crime, without sanction. The German foreign minister needs to engage with their counterpart in the UAE in this case. They are already aware that the particular Sheikh involved is a ‘problem’, and the UAE rulers can not allow for this kind of abuse of power to continue.”

Radha Stirling, CEO and founder of Detained in Dubai

The United Arab Emirates is investing in legal reforms and public relations efforts to attract foreign investors, expats and tourists, but can not succeed while these abuses continue.

The UAE should immediately take steps to intervene in Dieter’s case.

Dieter has been imprisoned, apparently with zero evidence of wrongdoing save for the word of a sheikh.