Brit killed in Dubai police custody would have celebrated birthday today

If the United Arab Emirates really is the fun, safe oasis in the desert it is advertised to be, and which the Foreign Office assures travelers it is; Lee Bradley Brown would be celebrating his 50th birthday today, possibly fondly reminiscing about his vacation to Dubai ten years ago. Instead, Brown’s loved ones will mark the day in mourning, remembering a son, brother, and friend who was brutally killed in an Emirates jail at the age of 39.

Lee Bradley Brown was born in East London on June 18th, 1971 and grew up in Devon. In 2011, like thousands of British citizens, he decided to take a holiday in Dubai. He stayed at the luxurious Burj Al Arab hotel, but had an altercation with a hotel maid that landed him in detention at the Bur Dubai Police Station on charges of using abusive language. Soon afterwards, Brown was dead. The exact circumstances of his death in custody are unknown to this day, with police claiming first that he was assaulted by fellow inmates, and then that his fatal injuries were self-inflicted. CCTV footage of what happened has never been released.

Detained in Dubai founder, Radha Stirling, was contacted by cellmates who witnessed the tragedy and who insisted he died as a result of police brutality but the UAE have refused to cooperate with any investigations into the incident.