Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai and host of Gulf in Justice, wishes a Happy New Year!

“What an incredible year in so many ways, full of ups and downs, of setbacks and progress. We have seen such unprecedented abuses within the prisons, with the covid umbrella of protection against questions. We have seen governments and embassies overrun with pleadings for help, emergency repatriations and serious complaints of denial of medical and basic humanitarian services.

“We have seen the most glorious reunions, with long term prisoners finally free to return home. Morag Koussa, Malcolm Faren, Melissa McBurnie, Alan Stevenson, Conor Howard and hundreds of others were able to spend this New Year at home, with their friends and families, thanks to our great work at Detained in Dubai.

“Amazing progress has been made with our endeavours to make foreign governments and their agents accountable for their abuse of foreign nationals, with multiple litigious actions lodged in the US and English courts, as well as the United Nations. This groundbreaking and important work will lead to long term change in the gulf, ultimately protecting foreign nationals from egregious human rights violations and torture.