Stirling calls for evacuation of British prisoners in UAE

The unthinkable is happening right now in the UAE. After decades as one of the few countries in the Arabian Gulf to not be targeted in terrorist attacks, the United Arab Emirates has suffered multiple drone and missile strikes over the past several days. The Emirates’ 6 year involvement in the Saudi-led war in Yemen against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels has made the country a target for terrorist vengeance which has already left at least 3 people dead and 6 injured.

The Houthis have vowed to continue attacks on the capital Abu Dhabi, as well as threatening to hit locations in Dubai vital to the UAE’s tourism and financial sectors. Drone strikes have caused explosions in Musaffah and in the vicinity of Abu Dhabi International Airport. The Houthis have published threats online against multiple targets, including the iconic Burj al Arab and Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The situation is escalating rapidly, and for the first time in recent memory, the UAE appears to be descending into the turmoil of violent regional conflict, leading to serious fears about the safety of foreign nationals in the country; particularly those wrongfully trapped in detention facilities.

“We have received reports from British inmates in the UAE that explosions are literally shaking the walls of the prison,” says Radha Stirling, CEO and founder of Detained in Dubai, “Billy Hood, who is currently incarcerated on absolutely ludicrous charges in Dubai, and whose case is already well known in the UK, has communicated that prisoners can hear blasts nearby the jail, and inmates are in fear of their lives. The British government should have already intervened to secure Billy’s release, along with many other wrongfully detained citizens, like Albert Douglas; but the situation is of the utmost urgency at the moment, as the UAE cannot guarantee their safety. We are calling for the immediate release and repatriation of all British nationals currently being held in the UAE.”