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On the 30th of January, Detained in Dubai celebrated its 15th anniversary in London with friends, clients and members of the media and legal community. It was truly an honour to have so many wonderful people join us for such a special occasion and we thank everyone for their support. Lord Clement Jones has advocated for British citizens wrongfully detained abroad. We were privileged to hear his powerful words of support for Dubai prisoners and for our organisation’s work. His Lordship has tirelessly advocated for Ryan Cornelius, Charles Ridley and has now come to learn about Albert Douglas , who shares a cell with Ryan and Charles. "We are truly grateful to have the support of an esteemed member of the House of Lords", added Radha Stirling , CEO of Detained in Dubai. See Lord Clement Jones & Radha Stirling on BBC Albert’s son Wolfgang passionately told the harrowing story of his father’s wrongful detention and torture, a shocking representation of what lies behind the “glamorous” tourist destination. "Wolfgang has been tirelessly advocating for his innocent father's release from Dubai jail. He will never give up, we love his passion and we love him," said Ms Stirling. HOME | Albert Douglas Albert Douglas, wrongfully detained in Duabi and subject to grave human rights abuses within the UAE prison system. #FreeAlbert is a campaign solely dedicated to getting Albert home and ending torture in the Emirates. John Glendinning arrived from Scotland, delivering an emotional speech after his brother Brian was released from an Iraqi prison. He was held over a small Qatar bank debt. In celebrating Brian’s release, we were reminded that others like Hussein Yactine remain locked up in foreign jails over small bank debts, a violation of Interpol’s charter. Brian has been desperately trying to help former cellmate, Hussein, get home. Stirling was elated to finally meet John in person after spending day and night on the phone to him during Brian's incarceration, "It was an absolute pleasure to work intensely with Brian's family to secure his freedom but as Brian says, there are still dozens of people detained abroad and the fight goes on. I look forward to seeing Brian and his family in Scotland later this year. They are forever my friends". Scots dad locked up in Iraq for months launches fight for cellmate to be freed - Daily Record Brian Glendinning, 43, was in jail for more than two months in Baghdad after he was arrested at Basrah airport when he arrived to start a new job in September. Professor John Cooper, KC highlighted the organisation’s ongoing battle for justice against powerful governments. With challenges ranging from Israeli spy companies and PR agencies deployed against Radha Stirling and her clients, to the heavy task of recruiting foreign governmental and diplomatic support and to saving people in life and death situations. Stirling previously worked with Cooper during the Princess Latifa fiasco, "John is a remarkable KC, author, professor and friend. His passionate speech was deeply appreciated as is his ongoing support for myself, for justice and for our organisation. Many attendees were unaware of some of the horrendous cases Detained in Dubai has seen over the years. Veteran Perry Coppins spoke of the time he spent in prison and how it has subsequently impacted his life. Perry was locked up for prescription medicine, until a kind doctor told him to call “Detained in Dubai”. “I was out three days later” , he told the room. Radha has been friends with Perry ever since his release. "It was so good to see Perry in person again. His experience in the UAE had a terrible impact on his life. His story was very emotional for those who had only heard it for the first time." Briton 'freed' in Dubai after being found with 'too many pills' - BBC News Perry Coppins said was stopped by customs officials in the United Arab Emirates for having "too many pills" on him. In the audience was fellow veteran Andy Neal who was detained and abused by UAE authorities for a year before being finally exonerated. Stirling advocated for Andy's release after he was wrongfully arrested by Dubai police and their 'wide net' policies. "It was a blessing to meet Andy for the first time in person and for him to share his story with so many. It's disturbing that the countless people who are wrongfully detained in the UAE and subsequently released, do not receive compensation nor even an apology. Their mistreatment and abuse leaves permanent scars but the experience is just swept under the rug by Emirati authorities and by our own governments". Stirling, along with Baroness Whitaker, have lobbied the British government to increase travel warnings as a means to encourage local UAE reform. British soldier is CLEARED after spending a year in UAE prisons on false drugs charges | Daily Mail Online Andy Neal, 44, has been cleared of all charges after he was arrested in October 2018 by Dubai police on false drug charges. The father-of-two spent over a year in prisons across the UAE. Entrepreneur and author Marek Zmyslowsk spoke about his thrilling fight against a wrongful Interpol Red Notice. Marek’s life was forever touched and he is an ongoing advocate against Interpol abuse. For a tale of criminal gangs in Nigeria, of powerful enemies and life as an international fugitive, read Marek’s autobiography, Chasing Black Unicorns: How building the Amazon of Africa put me on Interpol's Most Wanted list. A number of former Interpol “fugitives” were present and ever supportive of IPEX Reform , Stirling’s organisation that lobbies for Interpol and extradition reform. Marek Zmyslowski – I build Companies outside the First World, so it becomes First. It was wonderful to hear from Mr André Gauthier and his son Alexis who joined the celebration from Quebec, Canada. André was scapegoated by powerful elites in the Gold AE scam. After an intense fight against the dozens of charges against him, he was fully exonerated. André is writing a book detailing the intrigue of his business and detention in Dubai. Stirling met him for the first time in person. "I was so happy André and his son Alexis made the trip from Canada to join our celebration. His case and the details of the Gold AE scam are shocking and I can't wait to read his book . His release was negotiated with the support of the media, the Canadian government and UAE diplomats." After years detained in Dubai, falsely-accused Quebecer is grateful to be home | CBC News Gauthier's family maintains he was a whistleblower who alerted authorities in the United Arab Emirates to irregular dealings in a gold-trading company and then was arrested for the fraud himself. Celebrity detective David Swindle joined us from Scotland to speak at the event. His work investigating deaths abroad, helping bereaved families seek justice is paramount to victims of crime. David frequently appears in documentaries and on television. He is the senior investigator who brought serial killer Peter Tobin to justice. David is touring the UK all year in “The Makings of a Murderer” - Investigating The UK’s Most Notorious Serial Killers and we have no doubt you will enjoy the show! Finally, attendees learned the organisation was founded after former “big brother boss” Cat Le-Huy was detained in Dubai. If it weren’t for Cat’s 7 week long detention for melatonin pills, 20,000 people would not have been helped by Detained in Dubai. Cat Le-Huey. "It's hard to imagine how my life may have turned out if I wasn't thrust into my position at Detained in Dubai, but I am ever grateful to Cat for enduring that seven weeks in Al Wathba. Without that taunting experience, thousands more would have suffered. Our angel". Dubai has a dark secret of medieval injustice... the princess is only the start, writes GUY ADAMS | Daily Mail Online GUY ADAMS: The princess is under armed guard, recently smuggling out remarkable videos telling how she had been seized by commandos while in international waters. Radha Stirling – A Leading Human Rights Advocate Dedicated to Help Victims of Injustice | CIO VIEWS We are ever grateful to those who shared our event last week including members of British media, lawyers, litigation funders and friends. With your support, our work is made possible. Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http://www.radhastirling.com CLAN - Crypto Legal Advocacy Network: https://www.bitclan.org/ Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international IPEX - Interpol & Extradition Reform & Defence Experts: https://www.ipexreform.com/ Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Live news and updates on Telegram: https://t.me/stirlingnews mail: info@detainedindubai.org / WhatsApp/phone +447309114195

Detained in Dubai’s 15th anniversary celebration

On the 30th of January, Detained in Dubai celebrated its 15th anniversary in London with friends, clients and members of the media and...

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Indian citizens are more likely to be imprisoned in the UAE than in any other country in the world. “ There are over 8,000 Indian nationals incarcerated in foreign jails ,” says Radha Stirling , CEO of Due Process International and founder of Detained in Dubai , “ Roughly half of them are imprisoned in Gulf countries, with the highest number being in the UAE. ” Indians constitute roughly one-third of the Emirates’ total population, but Stirling says the alarming incarceration rate is not explained merely by demographic representation; but that the UAE justice system is fundamentally biased, and citizens of India are particularly vulnerable to false arrest. “ There are approximately the same number of Indian nationals living in the United States, yet there are fewer than 300 Indian prisoners; and that in a country with the highest overall incarceration rate on earth. There are 2.5 million Indian citizens in a country like Malaysia, many of whom come from the same socioeconomic strata as those who migrate to the UAE, but Malaysia only has around 400 Indian prisoners. There are even fewer Indian citizens jailed in Pakistan than in the Emirates. There is clearly a systemic problem in the UAE criminal justice system that disproportionately targets citizens from the sub-continent. “As political and economic ties between India and the UAE have grown over the past decade, so has the frequency of false arrests, arbitrary detentions, deportations, and Interpol abuse against Indian nationals by the UAE”, Stirling explains , “While one would normally expect better relations to be accompanied by greater respect, the opposite has occurred. We are not only talking about blue-collar labourers being targeted by the police – workers with no real rights or protections – as we used to see 15 or 20 years ago; today, it is just as common for high level Indian investors and professionals to be wrongfully prosecuted and hounded by abusive Interpol Red Notices over financial or contractual disputes. “The pattern we have noted over our 15 years in the field, is that the UAE tends to see its relative economic and political usefulness to its allies as a licence to mistreat its allies’ citizens. The more the UAE becomes vital as a trading or strategic partner to a country, the more that country’s people are at risk in the Emirates. This has been the case for the United Kingdom, for the US, and it is increasingly true for India.” Stirling says that the UAE habitually uses the Interpol system for data collection as a tool for harassment and as a method to expand its de facto jurisdiction by requesting abusive Red Notices , “The UAE is one of the worst offenders when it comes to Interpol abuse. Not only are they among Interpol’s top funders, they successfully campaigned to win the Interpol presidency for Emirati Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi, who is himself under investigation for torture and human rights abuse. We deal with hundreds of cases every year where a foreign national has been wronged in a financial or business dispute with a local, falsely accused and wrongfully convicted in absentia, who is then listed on Interpol ostensibly to pursue extradition. These disputes are not criminal in nature, and the absentia convictions are completely rejected according to international norms of due process; but the UAE essentially uses Red Notice to extort victims by bringing their lives and businesses to a screeching halt through an Interpol listing. They are treated as wanted fugitives and detained at all ports of entry wherever they go, usually just to satisfy a vindictive Emirati ex-business partner or local bank that does not want to reschedule payments on a loan. We have seen a significant surge in precisely these types of cases involving Indian investors and entrepreneurs in the UAE. The Emirates appears to believe it is too important to India for New Delhi to protest this mistreatment, and it appears they are correct.” Risky Business for Indians in the UAE With an estimated 2 million migrants, Indians form easily the largest expat population in the UAE. They are an integral part of the business community, the labor force, and the society as a whole. Living and working in the UAE offers Indian expats many opportunities to prosper, and this has made the Emirates a very popular destination. However, Indians face the same potential for legal problems as any other expat group. Substantial Increase in Legal Problems for White Collar Indians in the UAE, including Interpol & Extradition The UAE is composed of many nationalities, though Indians form over 50% of the total population in the UAE. 20% of Indian expats are working in professional employment with a great number of entrepreneurs establishing businesses in a flourishing economy. Due Process Newsroom & Media Centre Stirling says that 8 years ago approximately 20% of Detained in Dubai’s financial dispute and Interpol clients were Indian nationals in the UAE, today she says they are the majority. “ Well over half of the Interpol abuse cases stemming from business or debt-related issues involve Indian citizens ,” She explains, “ These can pertain to minor disputes or cases in which million-dollar companies have been destroyed, sabotaged, or seized by Emirati partners. We have clients who were close advisors to ruling families, and people who literally helped build the economy of the UAE over the course of decades – there is no exemption or preferential treatment afforded to Indian citizens regardless of their contribution to the country or their economic status; and unfortunately, the consular support of the Indian Embassy has become increasingly hands-off. ” Recent rulings in India curtail the likelihood of extradition to the UAE, Stirling says, however, Indian authorities can still prosecute the accused locally if the charges are also considered crimes in India. “ Most UAE Red Notices arise from financial disputes, debts, or bounced-cheques, which Emirati authorities creatively frame as fraud, this is also a criminal offence in India. Thus, even if India will not extradite citizens to the UAE, they will prosecute locally based on the UAE’s mischaracterisation of the disputes. The backlog of court cases in India is enormous and someone can be subjected to years of proceedings, or even years of remand incarceration, before ever settling such matters; all as the result of an abusive UAE Red Notice .” Stirling’s organisation offers an Interpol Prevention service to clients to help them avoid the issuance of a wrongful Red Notice, as well as Interpol Removal expertise to appeal against Notices that have already been issued. “ We are proud to have a 100% success rate in having abusive Red Notices deleted from Interpol’s database ,” She says, “ We have developed a good working relationship with Interpol over the years, and are intimately familiar with the UAE’s evolving methods for abusing the system. Indian nationals need to be aware of the risks they face in the Emirates, but if and when they do encounter problems, we have a long track record of providing solutions.” Radha Stirling - Outlook Magazine Feature 2021 - Inspiring Leaders by Radha Stirling Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http://www.radhastirling.com CLAN - Crypto Legal Advocacy Network: https://www.bitclan.org/ Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international IPEX - Interpol & Extradition Reform & Defence Experts: https://www.ipexreform.com/ Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Live news and updates on Telegram: https://t.me/stirlingnews mail: info@detainedindubai.org / WhatsApp/phone +447309114195

Indian nationals risk arbitrary detention, Interpol abuse in UAE

Indian citizens are more likely to be imprisoned in the UAE than in any other country in the world. “There are over 8,000 Indian...

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As the first private jets from Moscow were landing in the UAE, Radha Stirling , CEO of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International , warned that the Emirates would quickly become Russian oligarchs’ preferred sanctions-avoidance destination for their targeted riches. “ Whenever EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announces a new raft of sanctions against Russia, Dubai hears cash registers ringing ,” Stirling said, commenting on the latest economic news from the UAE. As oligarchs’ capital flows into UAE, human rights circle the drain | Radha Stirling | The Blogs With sanctions spurring an influx of Russian capital, Dubai’s economic power has grown and the country has behaved less and less like a Western ally . “ Russians have become the biggest investors in Dubai’s real estate market since the onset of sanctions after the beginning of the war in Ukraine. Property sales have skyrocketed by 80%, with nearly $60 billion pouring into the Emirates by the end of 2022, breaking all previous records. Most of that money is coming from Russia and it is not difficult to deduce why. A significant portion of property sales in Dubai involve developments that have yet to be built, meaning Russians who may find their assets frozen or seized under the sanctions regime can park their money in the UAE very quickly and either hold onto the planned development, resell it, redirect their investments to other potential properties, or theoretically simply withdraw from the deal at a later date. The Dubai real estate market provides sanctioned oligarchs with an ideal safe haven for their assets where they can both secure their money and launder it at the same time. The false promise of Dubai’s property sector “I have made peace with the fact that I got scammed out of all my money; but what am I supposed to do now?” So says one South African flight attendant who purchased an apartment in Dubai back in 2006, expressing what hundreds of property investors in the UAE have experi... Read More “It is worth noting that the two biggest developers in the UAE, Damac and Emaar – both of which reached record sales last year --allow transactions in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, further facilitating the discrete movement of cash outside the scrutiny of Western sanctions. In fact, real estate purchases in cryptocurrencies increased by 300% in Dubai last year. The UAE classifies both real estate and cryptocurrency as non-financial assets, thereby skirting standard data collection and reporting systems such as the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) protocols, thereby making property purchases in something like Bitcoin doubly untraceable. When Russian money enters Dubai, it becomes invisible .” Stirling further explained that Russian oligarchs trying to keep their money out of the reach of Western sanctions, may discover that it is out of their own reach as well. “ Real estate developers in the UAE have a conspicuous track record of defrauding investors, and Russians moving their cash into planned or existing projects, expecting those properties to act as vaults or laundrettes for their money, are at a considerable risk of losing most or all of their assets just as surely as if they had kept them in Moscow. Both Emaar and Damac are notorious for refusing refunds, and for inflating prices to artificially drive up property values that never collate to real demand. Investors should typically expect to lose at least 10% to 15% of their capital the moment they make their purchase; and if they cancel their contract, they are likely to only be refunded half what they paid, if that. If the developer opts to cancel the contract for any reason, reimbursement is nearly unheard of, simply because the courts are reliably biased in favour of the developer. Untraceable cryptocurrency purchases are that much riskier because the developer can potentially deny that payment was ever made. The general principle by which the UAE operates is that any money that enters the country should never leave it .” Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http://www.radhastirling.com CLAN - Crypto Legal Advocacy Network: https://www.bitclan.org/ Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international IPEX - Interpol & Extradition Reform & Defence Experts: https://www.ipexreform.com/ Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Live news and updates on Telegram: https://t.me/stirlingnews mail: info@detainedindubai.org / WhatsApp/phone +447309114195

UAE provides a risky haven for Russian money

As the first private jets from Moscow were landing in the UAE, Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International,...

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Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is a dangerous figure. Equal parts despot, dictator, mafia-style don, but also political and social reformer; he is attempting to bend the kingdom to his will and drag Saudi Arabia kicking and screaming into the modern world. If, by ‘the modern world’ what is meant is Dubai. On one hand, he is the man who, by all accounts, ordered the savage murder and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018; on the other hand, he is the same man who hosted over 100 mixed-gender music concerts in Saudi Arabia the following year. Mohammed bin Salman placed dozens of princes and government ministers under house arrest in the Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh in 2017, purging the government of any trace of dissent or competition to his rule; he also lifted the ban on women driving, opened cinemas for the first time in the kingdom, and defanged the notorious religious police. “ There is an argument that MBS is ruthlessly consolidating his power for the purpose of forcing reforms on a deeply conservative and stubborn power structure that would resist any changes not imposed by an iron fist ,” comments Radha Stirling , CEO of Due Process International , and a leading expert on the region, “ His tactics are tyrannical by any standard, with severe crackdowns on dissent; but the targets of repression run the spectrum from Islamists to liberals, whereas previous regimes have been more aligned with religious reactionaries. Mohammed bin Salman is obliterating anyone on the political scene that does not endorse his precise vision for Saudi Arabia or who does not agree with the pace at which he is implementing that vision; whether they are on the right or the left .” Even a decade ago, the idea of tourism in Saudi Arabia was unthinkable. The country was perceived as a no-go zone for foreigners unless they worked in the oil and gas industry. As far as the rest of the world was concerned, Saudi Arabia had nothing to offer as a tourist destination, and even if they wanted to go, they weren’t allowed. The kingdom did not begin offering tourist visas until 2019 as part of Salman’s “Vision 2030” agenda with a goal of tripling tourism over the current decade. After a significant decline during the pandemic due to travel restrictions, international tourist arrivals in Saudi Arabia last year recorded an increase of 575% compared to 2021, with the country expecting an influx of potentially 70 million visitors by the beginning of 2023. Salman’s government recently announced their goal of increasing the number of concerts in the kingdom by 600% this year and he is reportedly bidding for Saudi Arabia to host both the Olympics and the World Cup this decade. Sports as a vehicle for soft power Sports as a vehicle for soft power - by regional expert Radha Stirling, founder of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International “ Mohammed bin Salman has a very close relationship with Mohammed bin Zayed, the ruler of the UAE ,” Stirling explains, “ He appears very much to be a protégé with MBZ as his political and economic mentor. But despite the two countries sharing many cultural characteristics, Saudi Arabia is an entirely different beast, and trying to recreate the kingdom in the image of Dubai is unrealistic and frankly reckless. “While investors and Western policymakers might welcome Salman’s attempts to move the country beyond religious rigidity, he is simply replacing it with autocratic rigidity. He is staging displays that imply a liberalisation and freedom which do not actually exist in the country; and by these displays he is inviting inevitable domestic backlash from a population that remains majority conservative. Gulf States investing heavily in influence At a time when the UAE refuses to take calls from US President Joe Biden, hosts Russian President Vladimir Putin, and cuts oil production during a worldwide energy crisis; many observers wonder whether the Emirates is a friend or foe of the West. “There are dozens of terrorist attacks or attempted attacks in Saudi Arabia every year, both from groups outside the country (such as Houthi rebels from Yemen) and from domestic terrorists. There are significant factions within the Saudi military who are suspected sympathisers with radical Islamism and groups like ISIS. There has never been a successful terrorist attack inside the UAE. These two countries and these two populations are dramatically different, and their histories are different. Saudi Arabia has imposed extremist Wahhabism, and exported it, for over a century; you do not go from that to hosting a Lady Gaga concert overnight and expect there to be no backlash. “Tourists in the UAE are vulnerable. As the Emirates has emerged as a major hub for tourism and investment, there has been a corresponding surge in cases of wrongful detention, torture, malicious prosecution, and Interpol abuse – and this is a country that is objectively more liberal than Saudi Arabia, and that has been trying to modernise gradually for fifty years. Mohammed bin Salman is trying to emulate the UAE at an accelerated pace by force, and this will put visitors at tremendous risk. What MBS is doing is reminiscent of the Shah of Iran in many ways, and his attempts at rapid Westernisation which ultimately destabilised the country. UAE lifts alcohol regulations, increases likelihood of arrest “Just as Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi relied on the SAVAK secret police to repress opposition to his agenda, MBS has greatly empowered the Saudi Mabahith security apparatus to do the same for him, and the kingdom is now effectively a police state.” Stirling concludes , “It has proven to be extremely dangerous for the UAE to be perceived as a safe destination for tourists, but it is considerably more dangerous to allow Saudi Arabia to create that perception.” Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http://www.radhastirling.com CLAN - Crypto Legal Advocacy Network: https://www.bitclan.org/ Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international IPEX - Interpol & Extradition Reform & Defence Experts: https://www.ipexreform.com/ Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Live news and updates on Telegram: https://t.me/stirlingnews mail: info@detainedindubai.org / WhatsApp/phone +447309114195

Tourism in Saudi Arabia too risky

Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is a dangerous figure. Equal parts despot, dictator, mafia-style don, but...

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In a move intended to further boost tourism, the UAE has relaxed the regulations on buying and consuming alcohol; but Gulf expert Radha Stirling warns the new rules do not make drinking any safer for foreigners in the Emirates. Stirling, who is the CEO of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International , explains that the purchase and consumption of alcohol has never been the core legal issue in the UAE that puts visitors at risk of arrest, “ The Emirates has suspended the sales tax on alcohol and is now offering free licenses to buy, drink, and transport alcoh ol,” She says, “ This will make tourists and expats feel that it is now acceptable and safe to drink in the UAE; but that is a misreading of the situation. You could always buy and drink alcohol in the Emirates, albeit after jumping a few regulatory hurdles; very few people got arrested or prosecuted for purchasing or possessing alcohol. The real issue is that the UAE has no legally specified blood alcohol level that constitutes intoxication, which remains illegal. Essentially this means that someone can be arrested for having any trace of alcohol in their bloodstream .” Dubai relaxes Islamic laws but is the city safe for foreigners? The UAE has announced a number of reforms but what does this mean in reality? Is Dubai safe? Radha Stirling, founder of 13 year old legal watchdog Detained in Dubai issued a statement on the new laws. The new freedom to buy, transport, and drink alcohol, Stirling says, only increases the danger of arbitrary arrest for tourists who partake. “ We have seen cases of visitors who were served a glass of wine on an Emirates flight being arrested upon arrival after testing positive for alcohol in their system, ” she says, “ They UAE provided the alcohol, allowed the passenger to drink, and then arrested them for having it in their bloodstream. This scenario plays out all the time across the UAE, and the relaxed regulations will likely only increase the frequency of such arrests because people will interpret the greater tolerance for alcohol sales to mean it is safe to drink. But the moment they take a sip of alcohol, they become immediately vulnerable to arrest for intoxication .” Convictions for intoxication in the UAE can result in up to 6 months imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 Dirhams. “ When you consider that any country seeks tourism for the purpose of boosting revenues ,” Stirling explains, “ You cannot dismiss a profit incentive behind the encouragement to drink alcohol in the UAE. The average tourist in Dubai will spend approximately £5,000 to £10,000 over the course of their holiday. A single arrest for intoxication can instantly double that amount, not including whatever extra they might spend on a local attorney or the cost of extending their stay throughout the legal proceedings . “The legal system in the UAE, from police to prosecutors to the courts, is neither independent nor adherent to due process; arbitrary arrests, forced confessions, fabricated evidence, torture of detainees, collusion between all branches of the system to expedite convictions; are all absolutely routine. Baseless and vindictive accusations by Emiratis against foreigners result in rapid convictions that can turn a night out in Dubai into an expensive, months-long nightmare for any tourist who happens to be targeted. The new openness towards alcohol will make for an easy intoxication arrest because tourists can be charged with drunkenness even after one drink. FCDO must increase UAE travel warnings after Brown inquest The inquest into the death of British citizen Lee Bradley Brown, who died in a Dubai police station 11 years ago “If the UAE was serious about accommodating Western visitors and making the country more tolerant, they would define the blood alcohol limit for intoxication, not just make it easier to be arrested.” Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http://www.radhastirling.com CLAN - Crypto Legal Advocacy Network: https://www.bitclan.org/ Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international IPEX - Interpol & Extradition Reform & Defence Experts: https://www.ipexreform.com/ Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Live news and updates on Telegram: https://t.me/stirlingnews mail: info@detainedindubai.org / WhatsApp/phone +447309114195

UAE lifts alcohol regulations, increases likelihood of arrest

In a move intended to further boost tourism, the UAE has relaxed the regulations on buying and consuming alcohol; but Gulf expert Radha...

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Following a high-profile campaign to secure the freedom of Egyptian-American Sherif Osman after his arrest in Dubai over his criticism of the Egyptian government, Detained in Dubai announced today that Osman has returned home to the United States. The Egyptian-born US citizen was detained on holiday in the UAE last month over an extradition request by the Egyptian government because of his online criticisms of the regime of Abdel-Fatah El Sisi and his support for protests during the recent COP27 gathering in Sharm el-Sheikh. He was detained since early November and faced imminent deportation to Egypt where human rights activists feared his life would be in danger. “ There is no doubt that Sherif would have faced serious risk of abuse in Egyptian custody ,” explained Radha Stirling , CEO of Detained in Dubai , who led the campaign for Osman’s release. Sherif Osman case highlights America’s dwindling influence in the Middle East “ His arrest was appalling ,” She said, “ Sherff was detained for social media content he published in the United States, under his constitutionally-protected right to free speech; yet he was arrested by the UAE, an American ally, with the objective of extraditing him to Egypt, another American ally; where he would have been thrown into a prison system notorious for abuse of political dissidents, and where one American had already lost his life in custody . “We engaged not only the media and American consular officials on Sherif’s behalf, but also with his congressional representatives; urging the intervention of the US government to prevent his deportation and bring Sherif home. Dubai authorities were intent upon his extradition until his case garnered international attention, and we are extremely grateful for the diplomatic efforts the US undertook to secure his freedom once they became aware of Sherif’s plight.” Stirling hails progress in detention of American over Egypt criticism Osman had earlier been released on bail in Dubai after weeks in detention pending authorities’ decision on his deportation . “We believe the UAE paused the extradition process after the case reached the media and American officials became involved,” Stirling explained, “Without the scrutiny of the international press, and the concerted effort of campaigners, Sherif’s deportation would likely have been carried out within days of his arrest. Almost 400 people have been extradited from the Emirates in the last 2 years, and Egypt and the UAE have a very strong relationship, so, we regarded Sherif’s case with the utmost urgency. Over half of the population of Egypt’s jails are political prisoners; torture and abuse are routine; Sherif’s life would have been in danger had his deportation not been averted.” The full details of Osman’s release and return to the US have not been disclosed and the small business owner and social media commentator still needs time to convalesce with his family and recover from his ordeal. “ We are immensely relieved that Sherif is finally home ,” Stirling said, “ This has been a traumatic time for him and his loved ones; it should never have happened, and we hope that the authorities in the US will take steps to ensure that the same thing never happens again to another American citizen.” Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http://www.radhastirling.com CLAN - Crypto Legal Advocacy Network: https://www.bitclan.org/ Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international IPEX - Interpol & Extradition Reform & Defence Experts: https://www.ipexreform.com/ Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Live news and updates on Telegram: https://t.me/stirlingnews mail: info@detainedindubai.org / WhatsApp/phone +447309114195

Egyptian-American political commentator freed from UAE custody, returns home

Following a high-profile campaign to secure the freedom of Egyptian-American Sherif Osman after his arrest in Dubai over his criticism of...

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In a case reminiscent of the arrest of Steven Long last March, an Israeli citizen who has been diagnosed with PTSD was detained at Dubai Airport last week over claims of disturbing the peace. Nachman Gabai, 21, was on his way from Tel Aviv to India when he had an 8-hour layover in Dubai. Gabai and another Israeli were standing outside the terminal building when a police patrol approached to question them. Gabai became agitated, at which point the police ordered him to submit to a strip search and luggage inspection. When nothing unlawful was found, Gabai allegedly became insulting towards the police, and was taken into custody. PTSD-suffering Israeli under arrest in Abu Dhabi for clashing with local police | The Times of Israel “ Unlike the case of Steven Long, who suffered a mental health breakdown at Abu Dhabi airport which led to his arrest last Spring ,” Radha Stirling , CEO of Detained in Dubai explained, “ Nachman Gabai wasn’t disturbing anyone. He was targeted by the police for no apparent reason, unfairly subjected to a humiliating strip search, and provoked. Even for someone who does not suffer from PTSD, this sort of treatment would be angering. Nachman committed no crime except to protest his harassment by the police .” In the case of Steven Long, the British bomb disposal expert had suffered a paranoid meltdown causing him to believe the plane he was about to board was carrying an explosive. Long was arrested and sentenced to pay £104,000 or serve 13 years in jail. Gabai has been remanded to custody pending trial, and could face a similar sentence when convicted. Steve Long was arrested in the UAE because he was afraid. On January 28th, the 39-year-old from Stockport, Manchester told airport staff in Abu Dhabi, before he was to board a flight home, that he feared there would be a bomb on the plane. He wasn’t making a bad joke; he was in the grips of residual trauma . “ It seems that the police were determined to arrest Nachman with or without cause ,” Stirling said, “ There was no reason to question him initially, no reason to search him or his belongings, and there were no grounds for arresting him. He is facing charges of disturbing the peace, despite the fact that he was peacefully standing at the airport when the police disturbed him; and he is accused of insulting a police officer, which is a charge reliant completely on the word of the officer himself. In Dubai, accusations are treated, in and of themselves, as evidence, especially if those accusations are made by the police . Any police officer in the UAE can easily earn the government tens of thousands of pounds in fines just by accusing a foreigner of being disrespectful; no witnesses or proof are required, and a conviction is nearly guaranteed. “In the case of Steven Long, public outrage over his mistreatment by the UAE enabled his family to collect the money to secure his release through an online campaign; without diplomatic intervention by Israeli authorities, I would expect that Nachman Gabai will require the same sort of effort. It is impossible to not see this as an extortion racket, frankly; if a police officer targets you in the UAE, you must be prepared to hand over a six figure payment if you want to go home; never mind the fact that you are innocent. ” Reportedly, Gabai’s family is trying to find a local attorney to represent him in court, but Stirling cautioned that most lawyers in the UAE are closely related to the Public Prosecutor’s office and fair representation is rare, “ Almost all of the prominent attorneys in the UAE formerly worked for the Public Prosecutor and maintain a cooperative relationship with them. Their role is to facilitate conviction while providing the appearance of a fair trial; a service they perform for exorbitant fees. Without either intervention by the Israeli government, or a media campaign to highlight Nachman’s situation, the outcome of the court proceedings is a foregone conclusion, and his family would better spend their resources paying off the inevitable fine the court will impose. ” Stirling further warned that Gabai may not have been randomly targeted by the police, “ The overwhelming majority of police-initiated interactions in the UAE are based on tips by informants ,” she said, “ The fact that Nachman was targeted, harassed, and arbitrarily arrested suggests that he may have been singled-out for vindictive reasons, including the possibility of anti-Semitic or anti-Israeli motives, and that someone pointed him out to the police for this purpose.” Lawyers in Dubai - An Essential Guide | Detained in Dubai Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http://www.radhastirling.com CLAN - Crypto Legal Advocacy Network: https://www.bitclan.org/ Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international IPEX - Interpol & Extradition Reform & Defence Experts: https://www.ipexreform.com/ Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Live news and updates on Telegram: https://t.me/stirlingnews mail: info@detainedindubai.org / WhatsApp/phone +447309114195

Israeli PTSD sufferer arbitrarily arrested in Dubai

In a case reminiscent of the arrest of Steven Long last March, an Israeli citizen who has been diagnosed with PTSD was detained at Dubai...

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The World Cup in Qatar has passed without any reported arrests or police incidents involving British citizens, counter to expectations. While some have speculated that the restrictions on the availability of alcohol may have played a decisive role in the relative tranquillity of the event, Radha Stirling , CEO of Detained in Doha , believes this is a misinterpretation. “ Much has been said about the impeccable behaviour of British citizens attending the World Cup, And they attribute the lack of incidents to their law-abiding conduct ,” she says, “ But the truth is that British citizens and other foreign nationals get arrested, fined, and detained in Qatar on a regular basis without having committed any disturbances or crimes. While certainly the respectful conduct of Brits at the World Cup is to be commended, we can deduce that it was Qatari law enforcement who were on their best behaviour since the end of November. ” Stirling suggests that authorities in Qatar restrained police abuses and frivolous arrests, uncharacteristically, precisely because the small Gulf State was under unprecedented scrutiny from the international media. “ It is not so much because officials restricted access to alcohol that no British citizens were detained ,” she explains, “ But rather, it is because officials restricted law enforcement from carrying out their duties with the same hubris with which they normally behave when thousands of journalists and 3.4 million football fans with social media accounts are not present. No British fans arrested at World Cup - report | Reuters British soccer fans at the World Cup in Qatar behaved impeccably and none were arrested at the global tournament, the UK's football policing lead said. “The lesson from this is not that Qatar is a tolerant, liberal place where foreigners are respected and their rights protected – we know from over a decade of experience with wrongful detentions that this is not the case. The lesson is that the most effective way to ensure the safety of foreign nationals in Qatar is the presence of international media attention specifically spotlighting their security. “The danger now is that Qatar will parley its apparently successful handling of the World Cup into acquiring the status of a favoured tourism and investment destination; but when foreigners travel there now, the media spotlight will have already moved elsewhere, and they will encounter a very different Qatar than was on display during the event. When the last football fans depart from Doha, ‘World Cup Qatar’ will cease to exist, and the police, the public prosecutor, the courts, and the government will undoubtedly revert to form.” The conundrum of Western relations with Qatar Lille, Marseille, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Reims, and now Paris are all banning so-called ‘fan zones’ from being organised in their cities that would allow residents to watch the World Cup on giant screens in public spaces; citing human rights and environmental objections Stirling notes that the Qatari government will likely assume that the success of the World Cup has launched the tiny country to a new level of prestige and therefore impunity, “ We mustn’t forget that officials in Doha responded intransigently to criticism prior to, and throughout, the World Cup. They threatened to review and potentially withdraw their investments in the EU if criticisms continued regarding their persecution of the LGBT community; they reneged on their promise to provide religious accommodations for non-Muslims, particularly Jewish visitors ; they imposed restrictions on media coverage; they changed their rules on allowance of alcohol sales outside stadiums; and all of this with complete indifference to objections. Qatar threatens potential withdrawal of investment from UK “Qatar’s government clearly feels emboldened and this is frequently being expressed through defiance of Western governments. With this strengthened sense of entitlement I would expect to see a worsening of the situation for foreign nationals in the country, particularly now that the authorities are not concerned with managing a successful World Cup, and particularly now that the world’s press will not be looking.” Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http://www.radhastirling.com CLAN - Crypto Legal Advocacy Network: https://www.bitclan.org/ Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international IPEX - Interpol & Extradition Reform & Defence Experts: https://www.ipexreform.com/ Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Live news and updates on Telegram: https://t.me/stirlingnews mail: info@detainedindubai.org / WhatsApp/phone +447309114195

Why no Brits were arrested during World Cup

The World Cup in Qatar has passed without any reported arrests or police incidents involving British citizens, counter to expectations....

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When the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, the United States was the last superpower standing, and then-President George H.W. Bush declared “What we say goes”. One of the first regions where America established its authority in the newly unipolar world, was the Middle East. The US entered the Arab world with guns blazing, both figuratively and literally; and yes, what the said did indeed go. “ I recall an Emirati police official confiding in me in the early 2000s that if an American was arrested in Dubai, a single call from the embassy would get him released and sent home within the hour, no matter what the crime was ,” remembers Radha Stirling , CEO of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International . 20 years, at least 2 wars and occupations, numerous other military interventions, 1 Arab Spring, and multiple economic crises later; American prestige in the Middle East is all but non-existent. Not only does what the US president ‘say’ not ‘go’ in the Arab world, they are not even accepting his phone calls. Perhaps nothing highlights this deterioration in influence better than the plight of American citizen Sherif Osman. The Egyptian-born resident of Massachusetts was arrested in Dubai last month upon the request of Egypt because he had posted commentary on social media critical of the government of strongman Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi. It didn’t matter that Osman’s comments were made from his home in the United States, published on American-owned platforms, through exclusively American-based servers, and in accordance with his constitutional right to free speech; Egypt did not approve, and the UAE therefore snatched him off the street while on vacation in Dubai. “ The UAE is simply awaiting paperwork to be processed before extraditing Sherif to Egypt ,” says Stirling, who has taken up Osman’s case, “ Bilateral ties between the two countries are stronger than they have ever been, and both have a shared interest in making an example of political critics. We believe that his deportation is imminent, and that his life will undoubtedly be in danger once he is handed over to Egypt. Without American diplomatic intervention, Sherif may well become the second Egyptian-American to die in custody in the last 2 years .” Mustafa Kassem, an Egyptian-born New Yorker, was wrongfully detained in Cairo in 2013 during mass arrests carried out by security forces. After years pleading for help from American officials, even undertaking a hunger strike, the 54-year-old died in prison in 2020. “ At that time, assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, David Schenker, told reporters Kassem’s death was ‘needless, tragic and avoidable’ ,” Stirling explains, “ He was right, Kassem’s tragic death was certainly avoidable, had the US made appropriate efforts on his behalf – but they didn’t. The fate we fear for Sherif Osman is similarly needless and avoidable, but we have not seen the Americans undertaking any serious attempts to ensure that it will not also be tragic .” Stirling points out that the UAE has accrued considerable power in Washington, and that the Emirates has been an enthusiastic sponsor of the El-Sisi government since the coup that brought the former army officer to power in 2013. “ The Emirates is flooding Capitol Hill with cash, spending over $64 million on lobbyists, contributing nearly $2 million to politicians on both sides of the aisle. They have pumped billions of dollars into Egypt since the coup, and just recently agreed to another round of aid and investment with the explicit purpose of protecting the regime from potential unrest over food shortages. The UAE is basically a co-owner of the Egyptian government, and the US government has been unabashedly bribed into silence; America has allowed itself to become an impotent spectator in the Middle East, even when the life and freedom of a US citizen is at stake .” While she has reached out to Osman’s representatives in congress and the senate, none have issued any public statements about the case or raised the issue with the State Department, Stirling says. “ We have only heard vague words of concern privately, and the standard template response from the embassy that they are ‘monitoring’ the case; but this is grossly inadequate. Both Egypt and the UAE are considered staunch US allies; both enjoy massive investment and trade deals with the US, yet instead of seeing American diplomats and officials meeting with Egyptian and Emirati counterparts to secure Sherif Osman’s release, we see the UAE ambassador meeting with Egypt’s International Cooperation minister to strengthen bilateral relations. It is as if the US is being locked out of the room, if not passively leaving it voluntarily.” “If Sherif Osman is indeed deported to Egypt for exercising his constitutionally guaranteed rights as an American citizen, on American soil; the message will be crystal clear: the US has completely surrendered its influence in the Middle East and forfeited its status to the UAE.” Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http://www.radhastirling.com CLAN - Crypto Legal Advocacy Network: https://www.bitclan.org/ Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international IPEX - Interpol & Extradition Reform & Defence Experts: https://www.ipexreform.com/ Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Live news and updates on Telegram: https://t.me/stirlingnews mail: info@detainedindubai.org / WhatsApp/phone +447309114195

Sherif Osman case highlights America’s dwindling influence in the Middle East

When the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, the United States was the last superpower standing, and then-President George H.W....

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Brian Glendinning returned home to Scotland after being detained in an Iraqi jail over a Qatar issued Interpol Red Notice for debt. After extensive campaigning, he was finally released and avoided what was set to be at least two years in prison. His welcomed return to Scotland though, has left him feeling immense sadness for his 36 year old cellmate, Hussein Yactine, who helped him survive the ordeal. Hussein has been in detention in Iraq for over one year for the same reasons as Brian, a Qatar bank debt. The pair still communicate frequently after Brian promised not to forget him. “Hussein doesn’t have the support of his country, Lebanon”, explained Brian, “they don’t have the clout or the inclination to help citizens wrongfully detained abroad and Hussein’s helpless against this unjust process. I could easily have been in his shoes if it weren’t for the legal and diplomatic efforts made on my behalf. I was lucky and I think everyone knows how unfair my detention was. It seems shocking to me that our country has supported Qatar’s rise while they continue to violate international treaties and protocols on human rights issues”. Brian told the BBC that Brits should not be supporting the World Cup and should avoid visiting or investing in Qatar. “If a private commercial bank has the ability to have foreigners locked up abroad even though it’s against Interpol’s protocols and against UN directives, nobody should feel safe”, added Brian. When Brian was released from prison, Hussein put a handwritten note in his bag which read “Congrats bro because you left from here. I’m really happy that you’re going to your country to see your wife and kids. I hope you will never forget your friend, Hussein”. In a recorded telephone call, Hussein pleaded with Brian “I need your help. I can not stay here any more. My month is long, nobody is helping, nobody is doing anything. I hope your friend Radha can help me. I have family, three kids, I don’t have anybody, you know my situation.” Interpol and Extradition expert Radha Stirling , who represented Brian Glendinning commented “Jailing debtors works for banks, or so they say. When debtors are arrested, banks hope that family members will bail them out but for the most part, family members end up spending their life savings on hefty legal fees. It’s counter-productive but the bank would rather punish their customer than recover the funds owed. In most of these cases, the customer is already in touch with the bank, organising a repayment scheme but they are jailed anyway. These are not fraudsters who took a loan and absconded. Most defaulting customers have hit hard times or suffered a health issue. They genuinely want to repay the loan. They’re not criminals and shouldn’t be treated as such. Interpol is being misused as a debt collector for banks but financial contributions from member states leave the organisation morally bankrupt”. Brian continued, “Hussein was such a support for me while I was in prison. I don’t know if I’d have survived without him. 2 months in Iraq prison was breaking for me and I can’t believe he has already spent a year inside. These banks have no humanity and Brits should avoid Qatar at all costs. People have been jailed over as little as a few thousand pounds and nobody should ever think ‘it can’t happen to me’. Banks add whatever legal fees or interest they want and will quadruple the debt because they have jail hanging over your head”. Brian is calling on the British government to raise this concern with Qatar. “They need to update the law. They can’t keep allowing their ally to jail foreigners abroad. It’s outrageous”. Stirling, who founded the organisation Detained in Doha said she will be in touch with Hussein’s bank and Qatar’s Ministry of Interior. “If Qatar withdraws the extradition request from Iraq, Hussein will be able to return home and seek employment to enable him to continue repayments. There is no benefit to keeping him locked up or extraditing him to lock him up for another few years. It makes no sense. Let him work and let him repay the loan. He has no savings or family to help him and there is no point at all to keep him in prison. We also hope the MOI in Qatar will guide banks to reserve such harsh tactics for genuine financial crime”. Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http://www.radhastirling.com CLAN - Crypto Legal Advocacy Network: https://www.bitclan.org/ Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international IPEX - Interpol & Extradition Reform & Defence Experts: https://www.ipexreform.com/ Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Live news and updates on Telegram: https://t.me/stirlingnews mail: info@detainedindubai.org / WhatsApp/phone +447309114195

Scottish man fights for Iraq jail cellmate

Brian Glendinning returned home to Scotland after being detained in an Iraqi jail over a Qatar issued Interpol Red Notice for debt. After...

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Between the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority , the Emirates Investment Authority , Mubadala , and the Investment Corporation of Dubai ; the UAE’s Sovereign Wealth Funds control well over $1 trillion. That is roughly equivalent to the total assets of the China Investment Fund , the world’s largest SWF; meaning the UAE has the capability of mobilising the same amount of capital as a country 140 times its size. If you thought that they were just spending this money on gaudy buildings and Lamborghinis, you would be mistaken. The Emirates is strategically deploying these resources to expand its regional and global influence far beyond its geographical size; they are steadily building an arsenal of ‘soft power’ that cannot be ignored. For example, through DP World , the Emirates’ multinational logistics company, the UAE owns and operates a network of 78 marine and inland terminals in 40 countries across six continents, making the UAE a key actor in global supply chains and trade, as well as in maritime security. Politically, the UAE has learned very quickly that its substantial capital can buy disproportionate influence, and they have accelerated their investments in this activity dramatically in recent years. According to a new report by the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft , the UAE paid over $64 million to at least 25 different lobbyist organisations between 2020 and 2021 – that is almost $90,000 per day; this included $1.6 million in direct political contributions, half a million of which was gifted to members of Congress. That is even more than what China spends on lobbying . Emirati representatives recorded making nearly 11,000 contacts with politicians on behalf of the UAE, which is staggeringly relentless. These lobbyist and PR organisations also promoted pro-UAE narratives to the largest mainstream media outlets in America, including the New York Times, Forbes, and the Wall Street Journal. China and the UAE: The Long Game China is playing the long game and if left unchallenged, will secure Beijing's control over the global economy for the next century. “ The world’s 32nd largest economy by GDP – the UAE --spends more per year on lobbying and propaganda than the 2nd largest – China,” says Radha Stirling , CEO of Detained in Dubai , “T he UAE is mobilising its almost bottomless pool of resources to vastly expand its reach and influence around the world. They are strictly controlling their image and the way other countries deal with them, particularly Western countries, quite simply by paying them off.” Stirling has been the leading international voice condemning human rights abuses in the UAE, and campaigned against wrongful detentions in the country for 15 years. “We have long advocated democratic reforms in the UAE, improved standards of due process, the independence of the judiciary, and an end to torture and coercion by law enforcement; but this requires the cooperation of Western governments who are increasingly compromised by their lucrative relationship with the Emiratis. “Our only other avenue for pressuring the UAE government is through media campaigns to spotlight cases of abuse, corruption, and unjust imprisonment; but again, the Emiratis are spending millions of dollars to spread misinformation about the country and curate their global image. Just recently it was announced that the UAE International Media Investment company, which produces rigidly pro-government propaganda publications, will be partnering with CNN to create potentially the largest Arabic-language business news outlet in the world; this will take the UAE government’s narrative to a whole new level, and will likely disincentivise CNN from covering stories that contradict that narrative – which is to say, stories that tell the objective truth about the Emirates.” The UAE, Stirling says, has long prioritised image over reality; presenting itself to the world as a modern, Westernised country while having a stubbornly autocratic and corrupt regime. “ It is tremendously dangerous for the UAE to be perceived as qualitatively more liberal and safer than China, North Korea, or any other dictatorship ,” she warns, “ This is a country where forced confessions, torture, fabrication of evidence, detention without trial, deaths in custody, coercion, illegal seizure of assets, and malicious prosecutions are absolutely routine; to say nothing of the oppression of women, the persecution of the LGBT community, and the denial of free speech. It is abhorrent that the UAE can be regarded as a prime holiday destination and a hub for investment. If the Emirates actually qualified for this sort of positive reputation, they would not have to spend as much as Communist China to manufacture that image.” Gulf States investing heavily in influence At a time when the UAE refuses to take calls from US President Joe Biden, hosts Russian President Vladimir Putin, and cuts oil production during a worldwide energy crisis; many observers wonder whether the Emirates is a friend or foe of the West. Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http://www.radhastirling.com CLAN - Crypto Legal Advocacy Network: https://www.bitclan.org/ Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international IPEX - Interpol & Extradition Reform & Defence Experts: https://www.ipexreform.com/ Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Live news and updates on Telegram: https://t.me/stirlingnews mail: info@detainedindubai.org / WhatsApp/phone +447309114195

UAE out-spends China to win influence

Between the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the Emirates Investment Authority, Mubadala, and the Investment Corporation of Dubai; the...

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Al Roeya censorship goes global with CNN deal “ There is no freedom of the press in the UAE ,” says Radha Stirling , CEO of Detained in Dubai , “ But every journalist entering the industry there knows that. Whether we are talking about print media or television, every news outlet in the Emirates is essentially a propaganda operation dedicated to curating a positive image of the UAE and applauding the government. It is not a mystery why the salaries for journalists and editors in Dubai and Abu Dhabi have more in common with Western PR professionals than reporters . “Trying to practise actual journalism within the parameters of what the UAE permits can be risky,” Stirling continues, addressing the recent mass-firing of staffers at Al-Roeya , “They published a story about Emiratis coping with the government’s suspension of fuel subsidies by crossing the border with Oman to purchase cheap petrol. This obviously would be interpreted by the government as criticism of the subsidy suspension, and an exposure of public discontent – both of which violate the understood mission of UAE journalism. Their job is to perpetually affirm that the government is always right and the people are always happy. It should come as a surprise to no one that dozens of people were fired over that report. Imagine what would happen if a marketing agency put out material saying their client’s product doesn’t work and customers are dissatisfied; you would expect the same response.” Within weeks of the report on high fuel prices, Al Roeya newspaper was dissolved, but Stirling doesn’t believe the two events were necessarily connected, “ Al Roeya’s publisher, International Media Investments (IMI), has claimed that the dissolution of the paper was because they were transitioning into a new Arabic-language business vehicle in collaboration with CNN , and I think that is plausible. This is a move that has been planned for quite some time, and it is expected that a lot of staff would not survive the transition. However, the real story here is not that Al Roeya fired so many people, it is that the most recognised name in news and journalism is partnering with what is functionally a pro-UAE PR agency that will potentially enable the Emirates to spread misinformation to hundreds of millions of people.” Stirling explains that audiences in the Arab world tend to realise that state-sponsored media outlets are heavily censored and untrustworthy, and have a greater expectation of integrity from Western news organisations, “ Righty or wrongly, there is a perception that outlets like CNN or the BBC, while perhaps biassed, do provide actual independent news and information. With IMI operating under the CNN brand, their propaganda will enjoy a greater degree of credibility. CNN is basically co-signing the UAE’s narrative about itself, thereby extending the reach of Abu Dhabi’s censorship to a global scale. We can also expect from this that critical stories about the UAE, reports on human rights abuses, exposés about corruption and business fraud, will be suppressed across all of CNN’s platforms. Gulf States investing heavily in influence At a time when the UAE refuses to take calls from US President Joe Biden, hosts Russian President Vladimir Putin, and cuts oil production during a worldwide energy crisis; many observers wonder whether the Emirates is a friend or foe of the West. “This is deeply concerning, given the fact that international media coverage has been one of the only ways human rights campaigners have had to apply pressure on the UAE. We have helped countless foreign citizens secure their release from wrongful detention precisely by highlighting their cases in the press. Now the world’s largest news organisation is partnering with UAE censors, so what are the chances that they will cover such stories in the future? If we are worried about censorship at the now defunct Al Roeya, we should be much more worried about that same censorship controlling news coverage of the Emirates on a global platform like CNN.” Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http://www.radhastirling.com CLAN - Crypto Legal Advocacy Network: https://www.bitclan.org/ Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international IPEX - Interpol & Extradition Reform & Defence Experts: https://www.ipexreform.com/ Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Live news and updates on Telegram: https://t.me/stirlingnews mail: info@detainedindubai.org / WhatsApp/phone +447309114195

UAE's Al Roeya censorship goes global with CNN deal

Al Roeya censorship goes global with CNN deal “There is no freedom of the press in the UAE,” says Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in...

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