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In a most egregious attack, those who are responsible for the safety and protection of people in their custody, took advantage of their power and abused the 61 year old grandfather, Albert Douglas. After having been violently beaten and tortured by UAE prison guards, Albert sustained multiple fractures and injuries that still require surgery today. Now, rather than returning him to his home country, UAE authorities have been pushed by the UK to conduct a charade of an investigation into the abuse. In a recorded telephone call yesterday, Albert Douglas said “2 years ago I was severely beaten and tortured by the UAE police. My left shoulder and right hand were broken. My head was kicked around like a football. As a direct result of the head trauma, I now suffered from Alzheimer's, PTSD and regular blackouts. I was deprived of water and left in the desert for two days. I was forced to drink from the filthy toilet basins to survive. I thought I was going to die. It was all recorded on CCTV and there were numerous witnesses. There is no argument. The FCDO were immediately advised but it took one year for my savage beating and torture to be investigated. “I arrived at the court a year ago, I was given a full medical examination by specialists who confirmed my injuries were correct. The court asked me to give a full detailed account. I was about half way through my statement when a local Emirati burst into the chamber and shouted “khalas” (finish) so they never heard my full statement.” Albert was then chained up and returned to a local Dubai prison. Listen to Albert's full phone call: Albert continued, “Another year went by and then Abu Dhabi asked me to make a full account. I told them a year prior, I was asked to do this.” The Emirati returned and said “don’t worry, a full investigation and report is almost finished” before abruptly ending the meeting. But Albert said, “Anyone with an ounce of intelligence must know there has been no investigation and there will be no proper report. The crimes committed against me will be ignored and covered up by the UAE authorities. The past two years, I’ve spoken to dozens of prisoners who have also been tortured and not one case has been made against a policeman responsible for these crimes here. The UAE has laws but they’re only for the benefit of the local people and not foreigners like myself. “This is a warning to any businessman or investor thinking about coming to the UAE. Never forget Lee Bradley Brown who was murdered in Dubai prison. The FCDO has failed to protect me, that’s a fact. I was a business investor that was chained up, beat up and locked up. I’m now left permanently disabled with no human rights”. Long term resident and businessman, Albert Douglas, was locked up over a bounced cheque he did not author. “In the UAE”, explains Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling , “anyone can be held responsible for an alleged crime. Morag Koussa narrowly escaped imprisonment over her former husband’s bank debt. Relatives, business partners or employees are often used as leverage in the justice system. They hope that by jailing someone ‘close’ to their target, they will pressure that person to pay any monies they are seeking. They don’t care if that person is innocent. They only care about the money. Sometimes, cases are completely fabricated just to extort foreigners”. “But the risk is not just imprisonment, there is a significant risk of torture and human rights violations. This is one of the main reasons British courts refuse to extradite citizens. At an inquest into the death of Lee Bradley Brown, Coroner Nadia Persaud wrote a report to the FCDO, advising that if changes were not made, further deaths in custody were likely. She also advised that the current UAE travel warnings were insufficient and required review. “The FCDO has handled Albert’s torture poorly. At a diplomatic level, this kind of treatment is totally unacceptable and he should have been released immediately and allowed to continue his surgery in the safety and comfort of the UK. Allowing the UAE to keep Albert in prison is emboldening to them. There is no incentive to change. “Albert is absolutely right to warn businessmen that their investment could lead to their death”. The inquest heard that the number of new cases of Britons reporting torture or mistreatment in Dubai to the Foreign Office had surged from 3 per cent of the global total to 13 per cent in just four years. Radha Stirling – A Leading Human Rights Advocate Dedicated to Help Victims of Injustice | CIO VIEWS 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. 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 Investment Warning by tortured London businessman

In a most egregious attack, those who are responsible for the safety and protection of people in their custody, took advantage of their...

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CIO Views has listed Detained in Dubai CEO, Radha Stirling, amongst one of the top 10 most inspiring people in legal services, 2022. Learn more about Ms Stirling on a personal level in this in-depth report. Radha Stirling is a leading human rights advocate, crisis manager and policy consultant, focusing on the UAE and the wider Middle East. She is the founder and CEO of the United Kingdom-based organisation Detained in Dubai . Radha Stirling – A Leading Human Rights Advocate Dedicated to Help Victims of Injustice | CIO VIEWS Radha founded Detained in Dubai in 2008, a civil and criminal justice organisation after her friend, Cat Le-Huy, was imprisoned in Dubai. After leading the legal and media campaign that resulted in the exoneration of her friend, she was contacted by other people in the same situation begging for help. Radha had just finished a crash course in UAE culture, law and practice and decided to help out if she could. The requests kept rolling in and she responded to them, learning more and more as she took on more cases. She trained with local lawyers, prosecutors and judges to learn as much as she could and she also learned on the job, case by case. “I became the ‘go to’ authority for media commentary, for lawyers requiring experts and clients in catastrophes. I took on some of the biggest multimillion dollar business disputes with corrupt government owned corporations and won,” she states. Detained in Dubai and Radha’s simultaneous growth Radha says that this wasn’t a job to her, but it rather felt like a calling, and she was the only one who specialised in this field, who had the experience and capacity to win. She genuinely felt for each and every person who came to her for help but as the organisation attracted more and more recognition, even more cases rolled in. That’s when Radha decided she needed help. She partnered with law firms and agencies and took on law interns and staff to ensure they could handle the case load and the advocacy and analysis required to continue to lobby. Detained in Dubai had gained such a positive word of mouth reputation that they were forced to expand when clients from other Gulf nations requested help. Suddenly, they were helping people with issues in Qatar, Saudi and Bahrain which soon expanded worldwide, whether Egypt, Korea or the United States of America. “One of our major campaigns from the very beginning has been the reform of Interpol and extradition procedures. They have been heavily abused by member states and have resulted in severe human rights violations against victims. We advocate for legal accountability and for the abolition of diplomatic protections that are currently in place in most countries. Without accountability, countries are able to practice state harassment without consequence and this kind of abuse is all too tempting ,” says Radha. As Detained in Dubai grew, so has Radha’s experience in working with foreign governments, senators, MP’s and diplomats who are grateful for her guidance in navigating the Gulf terrain. She has been a regular speaker at think tanks and policy groups and vows to continue to promote fair and just treatment and the accountability of states, corporations and institutions. The beginning of Radha’s career in the legal industry As a young girl, Radha was fascinated by injustice and she intended to pursue a career in law. She started out at Pilgrim Geddes, a commercial law firm in Australia when she decided pursuing a traditional legal career as a barrister was not her calling. “I didn’t want to spend half of my life in chambers or in court following rules, protocols and restrictions. I wanted freedom,” she states. After she moved to London at 18, Radha started a digital media company and worked with Endemol on a number of television shows and Formula 1’s grand scale website. At the time, she employed around twenty staff members, collaborating with the onsite Endemol internal team which included Cat Le-Huy. The moment he was arrested, her innate desire for justice kicked in. She worked all day and late through the night to ensure his safe return. “I didn’t know this would be the catalyst to a career change. I certainly wouldn’t say that was the beginning of my career though. I had studied and learned everything I could about business management, marketing and public relations from a very young age but Detained in Dubai encompassed every aspect of my knowledge. It allowed me to apply everything from staff management and business operations to law to media. Every day felt like a true blessing and an accomplishment. I had found a career to match my childhood ideals,” she exclaims. Radha feels equally satisfied when she helps someone in private than when she is standing in front of Parliament, the United Nations, or announcing a successful outcome to the media. She claims that her biggest accomplishments come from the lives she feels she directly impacts on a regular basis, the friendships and relationships she’s cultivated with clients, colleagues, family and friends. Core Responsibilities as CEO of Detained in Dubai Radha is responsible for the execution of strategies that deliver successful results for clients. This could be winning a civil lawsuit, defending against an extradition request, negotiating or mediating with a foreign government or opposition law firm, implementing a plan to protect individuals in detention from abuse and torture, ensuring diplomatic and governmental intervention in cases of legal abuse and promoting long term reform in their own as well as the foreign governments who are responsible for these abuses. “I am “committed” to this goal and have founded sister organisations Due Process International , IPEX Reform and the Gulf in Justice Podcast to further promote these endeavours,” says Radha, who describes herself as an “inventive” individual." Being successful varies at an individual level The feeling of success and worth for Radha comes from problem solving. She prides herself on it. She states that there is nothing more satisfying than picking up the phone and hearing “Your client has been deleted from the Interpol database” or “The prosecution dropped the case, I’m free to go”. “Having that direct impact on someone’s life and those of their families is enormously satisfying,” she exclaims. “Being in crisis management, some of the calls I receive are from people who are going through extremely painful and unjust situations. They are desperate for help and a solution” and Radha claims to be equally desperate to apply her problem-solving skills and get solutions for them. Every single time she helps someone to freedom, she is reminded that freedom is one of the most significant human needs. “I am reminded to appreciate my own freedom and to never take it for granted,” she says. There is no single way to describe success. For Radha, it’s the combination of her own freedom combined with the satisfying content she feels by contributing to positive reform at governmental and legislative levels, and saving people from injustice, abuse of power and human rights violations. “If I did not feel my work was extremely valuable, I wouldn’t feel successful” she states. Challenges make you stronger and wiser Going up against a state is inevitably going to bring immense challenges, especially when dealing with gulf states notorious for lawlessness and human rights violations. From the moment her friend had been wrongfully arrested, Radha had to learn the inner workings of a foreign country with a judicial system with seemingly no rules, where bribery and corruption were rife and where there was zero accountability for wrongdoing. In 2008 when she publicly chastised the UAE on major international media platforms, she became a threat to the regime and a target herself. The UAE was marketing itself as a luxury tourist destination and a great tax-free place to do business. They had not been subject to scrutiny over legal and human rights abuses until Radha’s friend was detained. The country was investing millions into marketing and advertising in Western nations and it was a time when journalists and politicians were sceptical that their gulf ally would commit such atrocities against expats and visitors. To ensure cases of abuse were thoroughly investigated, Radha needed to have significant evidence and testimony, not just one example. She stepped up to the challenge and as a result, had directly influenced significant legal reform in the Emirates which she hopes one day, will become a safe and fair place for foreign nationals to live and visit. Since then, the organisation has had to deal with bomb threats, hacking attempts and slander from the UAE. Most of these challenges arose after she brought the case of Princess Latifa to the international media following her abduction from a US flagged yacht in international waters. Her father, the ruler of Dubai, had thwarted her escape attempt and was desperate to stop talk of the incident. The government of Dubai tried to stop their campaign to free her, deceiving media and even sending professional hecklers to their press conference. But it wasn’t just Sheikh Mohammed, Sheikh Saud Al Qassimi was on the other end of one of Radha’s client’s lawsuits when an Israeli spy company was sent after her. “When battling foreign countries, the challenges are endless but that only makes winning more satisfying. Whether I am defending attacks or overcoming bureaucracy to motivate diplomats and governments to help, challenges always make me stronger,” she states. If you enjoy your profession, you don’t need to balance it “I love what I do. Although I am professional, I don’t see it as my working life. I think that’s the recipe for success and determination,” says Radha. As part of some of their media campaigns, Radha will have to work in multiple time zones, do a TV or radio interview late at night or at an ungodly hour of the morning. As a crisis manager, when a crisis hits, she has no choice. She’s made some lifelong friends through work as a result of the bond created when dealing with these situations and has somehow merged work with pleasure which she does not believe to be a cardinal sin. Radha’s daughters, 23 and 17, are wholly supportive and have grown up in the midst of the action. Not only does she discuss the details of cases with them, but they have been involved in press conferences, client meetings and learning about the fine details of what she does. They accompany her on trips to Washington DC and abroad to take in as much as they can. “Their involvement and keenness have made it much easier to balance the personal and professional. We try to get to the gym during the day, tennis, horse riding, out on a hike or some other outdoor adventure. I make sure to go out with close friends as much as possible and always try to turn work travel into a little break. Again though, I love meeting my clients, journalists, lawyers and politicians. This, to me, is my personal life,” she explains. Radha’s staff have been with her for years, one of them going on eight. They are amazingly self-motivated and get satisfaction from being able to help shape the organisation. Radha states that she appreciates each and every one of them and regularly involves them in decisions as well as giving them freedom and flexibility. She relies on them, respects their knowledge and values them immensely. “I am very lucky. I would not have achieved half of what I have without the contribution of my trustworthy and dedicated dream team ,” she proudly states. Plans for the future of Detained in Dubai Radha Stirling - Inspiring Leader 2021 Magazine Feature Outlook Magazine, September 2021 Due Process Newsroom & Media Centre Radha says that she has not achieved everything she ever dreamed of because she never stops dreaming. “Almost every morning, I come up with new ideas and goals. As I knock each achievement off the list, I will replace it with another, probably bigger goal. There is no point in my life where I will ever say “job done”,” she further states. She is currently working on a number of large projects, litigations, class actions and exposés that she expects will cause serious reform in a number of key areas that they have identified as the primary causes of abuse. Radha’s goal is to make changes at a higher level that will prevent and protect individuals from falling prey to a flawed system, rather than having to save them on an individual basis. Radha’s advice to aspiring lawyers is: Choose a field and a path that you love, that doesn’t feel like work at all, then go after it without hesitation and without creating a hundred boxes you feel need to be ticked before doing so. Dubai has a dark secret of medieval injustice... the princess is only the start , writes GUY ADAMS | Daily Mail Online 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

Radha Stirling: Top 10 Most Inspiring People in Legal Services, 2022

CIO Views has listed Detained in Dubai CEO, Radha Stirling, amongst one of the top 10 most inspiring people in legal services, 2022....

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Protest emerges as a mixed blessing for World Cup host Qatar 29th of November 2022 by James M Dorsey Protest on the soccer pitch has proven to be a mixed blessing for World Cup host Qatar, exposing double standards in the Gulf state’s position as well as that of its critics. Qatari investments include London’s landmark Harrods department store; The Shard, an iconic 72-storey skyscraper; and Canary Wharf, part of the city’s central business district. Qatar also owns Chelsea Barracks, the Savoy and Grosvenor House hotels, 22 per cent of Sainsbury’s supermarkets, six per cent of Barclays bank, and 20 per cent of Heathrow airport. “Countries like…Qatar…view their investments as strategic bribes to mute criticism and resist reforms ,” said Radha Stirling , a London-based lawyer who represents expatriates in the Gulf The 2022 World Cup: Qatar’s Make-or-Break Moment. 20th of October 2022 by James M. Dorseny The final run-up to the 2022 World Cup and the tournament’s management is make-it-or-break-it time for Qatar. Both will determine Qatar’s ultimate soft power benefit from the World Cup. How Qatar manages the tournament, and potential flare and hick-ups will shape how the 2022 World Cup is perceived and remembered. Detained in Dubai, a London-based law firm representing expatriates with legal difficulties in the United Arab Emirates and elsewhere in the Gulf, launched an emergency help app in the belief that there will be “an increase in the number of arrests throughout the Gulf region.” The law firm’s founder, Radha Stirling, asserted that “with this sporting event come the confusing and arbitrarily enforced laws that have seen thousands of visitors end up behind bars.” 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

Radha Stirling in Modern Diplomacy

Protest emerges as a mixed blessing for World Cup host Qatar 29th of November 2022 by James M Dorsey Protest on the soccer pitch has...

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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. All the while, the ambiguous Gulf ally has been stealthily buying influence in Washington and currying bipartisan favour strategically, to keep US policy friendly despite the UAE’s unmistakable lack of reciprocity. Radha Stirling , CEO of Due Process International and leading Gulf expert, explains, “ The UAE has become increasingly savvy about the dynamics of political influence in the United States. They have thoroughly mapped the corridors of power, and navigate them with remarkable dexterity. There is no corner in the market of influence where the UAE has not set up shop. This includes millions of dollars paid to PR firms like the Glover Park Group , Terakeet, and TRG ; spending over $150 million on Washington lobbyists in the past 7 years, and over $1 billion gifted to American universities like Harvard, Georgetown, and MIT. “The UAE has also understood that lobbying is not the only avenue for political influence in Washington, but that think tanks can be equally effective vehicles for pushing favourable policies. For example, the Emirates is among the top donors to one of the most influential think tanks in Washington, the Atlantic Council. The UAE embassy donated at least $1 million to the Council last year, according to its annual report ; and the Emirates’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation gave between $100,000 and $250,000 as well. The state-owned Mubadala Investment Company gave between $100,000 and $250,000 to the think tank; and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation contributed between $25,000 and $50,000. “By funding think tanks, the UAE can bypass regulations on foreign lobbyists while still essentially buying influence with politicians. Just last month the Atlantic Council organised a week-long meet-up between Emirati officials and Senate and Congressional staffers to the tune of $45,000, intended to promote policies beneficial to the UAE and to strengthen the relationship between Washington and Abu Dhabi. “The concern is that this relationship is increasingly one-sided. Just a month after the Atlantic Council hosted congressional staffers, the UAE arrested an American citizen, Sheriff Osman, and are threatening to extradite him to Egypt because of videos he made from his home in Massachusetts critical of the Egyptian government. So, what those of us who are involved in human rights see is that the UAE is not just buying influence, they are buying impunity. The more funding they provide to universities, lobbyists, and think tanks; and the more investments they pump into Western economies; the more they feel empowered to behave despotically, defiantly, and to mistreat Western citizens. “ While the UAE is certainly one of the most adept in this area, they are not alone ,” Stirling continues, “ Qatar and Saudi Arabia are not far behind. The Gulf States are continuously exploring new strategies for amplifying their influence in the West. For example, many people are not aware that Qatar and Saudi Arabia helped underwrite Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter , which could potentially impact what sort of content is allowed on the platform that relates to how those countries are portrayed to hundreds of millions of active users. “Between their sovereign wealth funds and the money of private investors, the Gulf States have practically unlimited resources to throw around, and they are learning that Western silence and complicity is an affordable, low-risk investment with incredibly advantageous returns.” Sportswashing | Radha Stirling | The Blogs When Qatar insisted on hosting the World Cup, people's love of soccer again surpassed their disapproval of dictators, corruption, and human rights abuses 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

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...

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Christopher Emms was indicted in the US on allegations he had violated American sanctions (IEEPA) when attending a conference in North Korea, despite being a British citizen and having broken no UK or international laws. His spokesperson and crisis manager, Radha Stirling, criticised the move as an abusive expansion of universal jurisdiction to prosecute cryptocurrency professionals for ulterior motives. Chris was arrested in Saudi after the US activated an Interpol Red Notice against him. His accounts were frozen and he was left to fight extradition from the Middle East. His MP was outraged that the US could impose on Britain’s sovereignty, claiming Brits must abide by local US rules. It was clear to Ms Stirling that the new crypto task force was not about justice, not about crime prevention, but about convictions for profit at any cost. GQ Magazine reported that Nick Carlsen, a former FBI investigator confirmed “it’s pure profit, you have a team of like, 15-20 guys doing this, and they pull in as much money as the labour of maybe 100,000 coal miners and shipping guys and gold traders. I mean, it’s just incomparable value.” The Pyongyang crypto caper: North Korea, crypto heists and the new front line of cybercrime | British GQ When a group of guileless blockchain entrepreneurs found themselves invited to North Korea, it seemed like a weird adventure – until the travellers found themselves wanted by the FBI, accused of helping a rogue state evade international sanctions. Was it really a criminal conspiracy, or just a case of crypto bros gone wrong? Stirling said “The US is attempting, by hook or by crook, to assert global jurisdiction over all issues pertaining to cryptocurrency, regardless of where a transaction or interaction takes place, and regardless of the nationalities of those involved. To this end, American authorities are trying to creatively expand the legal applicability of the IEEPA to non-US persons; and what they have done in Chris’s case through blatant intimidation. Stirling believes Emms’s case is borne of frustration among the US authorities, who have struggled to get results in their assault on crypto’s underbelly. “Biden set up a recent task force just to go after cryptocurrency, and I think they’re looking to secure convictions, freeze and confiscate assets,” Stirling said. The US government is probing to see if it can catch and convict a foreigner under IEEPA. According to Stirling, Emms was unlucky enough to blunder into their reach. “What the GQ investigation confirms is that people are going to prison, being intimidated into plea deals and bullied by the DOJ who are interested only in profiteering from indictments and advancing the US government’s crypto domination plan”. Christopher Emms applauded the GQ investigation: Colonising the Cryptosphere - by Radha Stirling It is entirely possible that the heyday of cryptocurrencies is already over. The era of brilliant young visionaries imagining a world of decentralised finance, in which every person could conjure wealth seemingly out of the ether -- potentially empowering the masses 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

DOJ persecutes crypto entrepreneurs for cash & currency domination

Christopher Emms was indicted in the US on allegations he had violated American sanctions (IEEPA) when attending a conference in North...

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After two months of prison hell, Brian opens up and he's angry at Qatar's "disgusting" World Cup. Scottish construction engineer, Brian Glendinning was jailed in Iraq over a Qatar National Bank issued Interpol Red Notice for a small debt. After substantial diplomatic, media and strategic efforts of crisis manager Radha Stirling, Brian returned home to Scotland on Saturday. “It brought a tear to my eye as I heard Brian’s worst moment in prison”, said extradition expert Radha Stirling , who hosts the Gulf in Justice Podcast “What Brian has been through is unimaginable. The way the guards mocked him, laughed at him, looted him and harassed his wife. The conditions in Iraqi jails are abysmal with the only positive being that Brian wasn’t tortured himself. He did however, witness the inhumane treatment of other prisoners and the scars of what he saw will remain with him for life. Listen to the interview: “I am privileged to have been able to help this dear family who I have come to know. I’m grateful for their energy and dedication in supporting the campaign to free Brian.” Brian told Ms Stirling that he is still unable to sleep well. Every time he closes his eyes, he sees the prison ceiling fans and hears the pained groans of fellow inmates. Traumatised by his experience, Brian has vowed that he will never set foot in the Middle East again. He said he is sickened by the scenes of celebrations in Qatar as the World Cup continues. “It was Qatar that abuse Interpol’s databases and caused his detention in Iraq. They do this on a regular basis”, confirms Stirling. “We are working with Kenny MacAskill, MP and a number of concerned parliamentary groups to push the British government to safeguard citizens against further abuse. We simply can not have our strong allies and trade partners causing our citizens to be wrongfully detained abroad and at risk of violence or torture. It is unlawful and a violation of international law to report debt to Interpol. There are other civil means for them to recover credit card debts such as through the county court. Brian said, “These countries are so corrupt. All they care about is money and being the wealthiest - Qatar in particular. That country has put me through hell. The fact the World Cup has been allowed to be held there is sickening. I'm refusing to watch it.” Scots dad Brian Glendinning opens up on 'mental torture' of Iraq prison hell - Daily Record Brian Glendinning, 43, was locked up in a Baghdad jail for 70 days after being arrested in Basra International Airport on September 4. 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

“My Iraq Prison Hell” - Brian Glendinning talks to Radha Stirling

After two months of prison hell, Brian opens up and he's angry at Qatar's "disgusting" World Cup. Scottish construction engineer, Brian...

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Urgent diplomatic intervention required. American citizen Sherif Osman, who was arrested in Dubai earlier this month and faces extradition to Egypt over criticisms he posted on social media against the regime of President Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi, cannot be deported on the basis of an Interpol Red Notice , Radha Stirling confirmed today. Stirling is the founder and CEO of Detained in Dubai and IPEX , an organisation dedicated to Interpol and extradition reform, and recently became involved in Osman’s case. The Egyptian-born former army officer is being sought by Egyptian authorities for YouTube videos he posted criticising the regime and advocating peaceful protests during the COP27 meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh. Both the American embassy in the UAE and Osman’s attorney stated that a Red Notice had been issued by Interpol against him at the request of Egypt, and that he had been arrested in Dubai pursuant to that listing. However, shortly after Stirling publicised the case, demonstrating the clear political motivation behind the arrest and extradition request, Interpol distanced itself from the matter. “ Following our exposure of the case ,” Stirling said,” Interpol announced that Sherif Osman is not subjected to a Red Notice and that any deportation proceedings must be carried out bilaterally between Egypt and the UAE. When I asked if they could confirm whether or not the Red Notice had been deleted, or had never been issued, I did not receive a reply. “It is noteworthy that Interpol contacted me about Sherif’s case within days of our publication; when the normal procedure for checking an individual's status on the Interpol database requires a formal request which takes weeks to process. This would not be the first time an international warrant has been surreptitiously removed once it has been determined to be political in nature; either way, we are happy to confirm that Sherif is not listed on the Interpol database at this point; however, relations between Egypt and the UAE are notably strong, and without intervention by the US government, his deportation remains dangerously likely .” Stirling warns that if Osman is extradited to Egypt his life will be in peril. “ Roughly half of all prisoners in Egypt are political prisoners, and hundreds die in custody every year. Torture is routine and police and prison officials are completely unaccountable. Just two years ago American journalist Moustafa Kassem died in an Egyptian prison, and we are gravely concerned that the same will happen to Sherif without immediate and urgent involvement of the American government ,” she cautioned. Radha Stirling has been the leading voice calling out Interpol abuse by countries like the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey; and has successfully lobbied for the removal of wrongful Red Notice listings for nearly 15 years. Her organisation, IPEX, also provides Interpol prevention services for clients who may be at risk of being subjected to an abusive listing. “A great deal of work still needs to be done, not only to address Interpol’s fairness, efficiency, and lack of transparency, but also with the international protocols governing extradition,” She explained, “Authoritarian countries, whether through manipulation of Interpol, or through bilateral relations, have created a de facto transnational jurisdiction that circumvents accepted standards of due process which puts anyone at risk who travels outside established democratic countries. This, essentially, is what we are seeing in Sheriff Osman’s case, and cases like his are precisely why reform s are needed.” 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

Stirling hails progress in detention of American over Egypt criticism

Urgent diplomatic intervention required. American citizen Sherif Osman, who was arrested in Dubai earlier this month and faces...

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“ If there was ever any doubt that Gulf investors in Europe view their capital as ‘hush money’, this should make it clear ,” says Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Doha and Due Process International regarding Qatar’s announcement that all current and future investment in the UK will be under review following a ban on tourism advertising on the London Underground. Transport for London (TfL) recently rejected allowing ads promoting Qatar as a tourist destination that were to appear on the city’s trains, citing the Gulf State’s repressive anti-LGBT laws. “ The TfL does not wish to promote tourism to countries that criminalise people’s sexuality or are otherwise oppressive and unsafe ,” Stirling explained, “ But Qatar believes that their money should not only silence Western criticism, it should compel our praise, and they should be allowed to advertise to the British public without restriction . “We have been warning for years that Gulf investment in the UK and Europe is used as leverage by countries like the UAE and Qatar to commit human rights abuses with impunity; that they view their investments as strategic bribes to mute criticism and resist reforms. Now Qatar’s response to the advertising ban is to threaten the withdrawal of its $40 billion investments in the UK, and to potentially suspend future investments; meaning, they have tied their business deals in Britain to our political and moral acquiescence.” Currently, Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund holds significant assets in the UK, including the luxury store Harrods, the Shard skyscraper and Canary Wharf. Doha also owns Chelsea Barracks, the Savoy and Grosvenor House hotels, 22 percent of Sainsbury’s supermarkets, six percent of Barclays bank, and holds a 20 percent stake in Heathrow airport. Additionally, Qatar has pledged to inject another $10 billion into a variety of sectors in the UK over the next 5 years. The number of properties owned by Qatari individuals in London climbed by nearly 50 percent between 2018 and 2021. “ Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia are among the UK’s biggest investors ,” Stirling said, “ They seized upon the economic uncertainties following Brexit and the pandemic, believing Britain to be vulnerable, and they are using their investments as instruments of coercion and compliance. When they buy property or fund projects in the UK and Europe, they believe it should buy them the silence and capitulation of our governments with regards to their oppressive regimes. Qatar apparently believes that they have bought the right to dictate the policies of the TfL; what’s next? Will Doha and Dubai start telling the FCDO what to say in their travel advisories? The Gulf views their investments as having expansive social, cultural, and political ramifications – it is not simply business for them; they think it endows them with extralegal rights and privileges; and if they discover it does not, they will withdraw. The UK government and the British business community need to reassess the sustainability of Gulf investments when they come with such presumptive conditions .” Qatar reviews UK investments after advertising ban – DW – 11/26/2022 London's transport authority has banned Qatar tourism ads due to the Gulf state's anti-LGBTQ laws. A spokesperson for Qatar accused London's city's mayor of "virtue signaling" for political points during the World Cup. 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

Qatar threatens potential withdrawal of investment from UK

“If there was ever any doubt that Gulf investors in Europe view their capital as ‘hush money’, this should make it clear,” says Radha...

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When Qatar insisted on hosting the World Cup, people's love of soccer again surpassed their disapproval of dictators, corruption, and human rights abusesWhen Qatar insisted on hosting the World Cup, people's love of soccer again surpassed their disapproval of dictators, corruption, and human rights abuses. Sports has proven to be a vehicle for soft power, and the Gulf is deploying that power vigorously. Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund recently purchased Newcastle United football club, the UAE owns Manchester City, and the Saudis also own Sheffield United. The UAE’s Etihad and Qatar Airways have major deals with European football clubs worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Dubai is even planning to open a Real Madrid theme park.It should be understood that from a purely financial perspective, Gulf States’ investments in sporting events are, by definition, catastrophically unprofitable. Qatar has spent roughly $200 billion more than they will earn from the World Cup, but what countries like Qatar and the UAE are actually buying, of course, is immunity — and that is priceless. Qatar Legal Help | Detained in Doha | EC1 Detained in Doha is an NGO formed by expert Radha Stirling to assist people who have become victims of injustice in Qatar. 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

Talk TV: Radha Stirling & Daisy McAndrew talk Qatar World Cup and human rights issues

When Qatar insisted on hosting the World Cup, people's love of soccer again surpassed their disapproval of dictators, corruption, and...

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The inquest into the death of British citizen Lee Bradley Brown, who died in a Dubai police station 11 years ago, heard that the number of new cases of Britons reporting torture or mistreatment in Dubai to the Foreign Office had surged from 3 per cent of the global total to 13 per cent in just four years. “This is something we have repeatedly raised with the FCDO,” says Radha Stirling , CEO of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International , “We are really talking about a crisis-level surge in torture, abuse, and human rights violations against British and other foreign nationals in UAE detention.” Stirling explains that the dramatic increase in the numbers of cases corresponds to Dubai’s successful marketing of the UAE as a safe and modern tourist destination for Westerners, the country’s pursuit of investment in the UK and Europe, and the almost non-existent consequences Dubai faced over the illegal raid on an American yacht in 2018 to recapture the escaped daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Sheikha Latifa. “ Year on year, the UAE has moved up the ranks to now become the UK’s 23rd largest trading partner, and Emirati investment has grown rapidly over the past 4 years. Between 2019 ad 2020, UAE direct investment in Britain increased more than 120%; there was a slight decrease during the pandemic, but Emirati FDI into the UK is once again pumping tens of billions of pounds into the economy, ” Stirling says, “ Added to this undeniable economic influence being purchased by the UAE, Dubai has spent untold billions on perpetual marketing campaigns to promote the UAE as a destination for tourism and investment. When Sheikh Mohammed ordered a coordinated maritime raid along with the Indian Coast Guard in international waters against an American-flagged yacht 4 years ago, seizing all crew and passengers onboard, in order to capture his escaped daughter Princess Latifa; he faced no formal reprimand; he defied a United Nations enquiry, without any serious repercussions, and has never been held to account for what was unarguably a grave breach of international law. All of these factors have emboldened the UAE with a sense of impunity . “ The dramatic increase in torture cases since 2018 not only does not surprise us, it is something we consistently warned about and anticipated at the time. We have been cautioning the Foreign Office for years that their travel advisory for the UAE is inadequate, and that this inadequacy puts the lives of British tourists, expats, and business people at risk. Police abuse, systematic torture, forced confessions, intimidation and threats, secret detention facilities, fabricated evidence, lack of legal representation, judicial and prosecutorial misconduct, and a glaring absence of due process are all endemic features of the UAE justice system. “We are glad to see the Foreign Office being officially advised to upgrade its travel warnings, however, these warnings should not only include the dangers posed to British citizens in detention, but also the serious risks they face in the UAE of being falsely arrested and wrongfully prosecuted even when they are obeying the law. In the Emirates, arrest and conviction almost always follows any accusation, even when no evidence exists to substantiate it. The UAE is one of the easiest places in the world to get arrested; you can even be charged over a Whatsapp message or something you said or wrote online in your home country, if local authorities find it objectionable. Foreign Office told “Dubai travel warnings insufficient” Coroner tells FCDO to increase Dubai travel warnings. Due Process Newsroom & Media Centre “We would also like to see the Foreign Office requiring consular staff to be more responsive and involved in the cases of Britons detained in the UAE. The experience of detained citizens with the UK embassy is uniformly one of indifference and passivity. Britons held in the UAE feel alone and unsupported; and this at a time when the British government is aware that torture and abuse in Emirati jails is escalating. At a time when their concern should be elevated, what we see is that it is noncommittal; despite the fact that the Foreign Office has shown in the past that they absolutely do have the power to intervene; as we saw in the case of Matthew Hedges. “Tragically, no one will ever be held accountable for the death of Lee Bradley Brown, but the UK government must do more to ensure that no other British citizen suffers the same fate, and they must take urgent steps to safeguard the human rights of Britons overseas, even if that means jeopardising lucrative economic deals with the UAE by warning Brits not to travel there.” Stirling urges FCO to update travel warnings in light of Laleh Shahravesh case British legal group Detained in Dubai has urged the FCO to update its UAE travel warnings to UK tourists in an open letter penned by the organisation’s head, Radha Stirling. “We have frequently called upon the FCO to provide more accurate information to Britons about the many risks they face in the UAE which the current advisory does not cover,” Stirling said. “It is simply not enough to warn people to obey the laws and customs, when very often the legal system itself poses a threat Press Release: Parliamentary Debate - Should the FCDO increase travel warnings to British citizens heading to 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

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, heard that the number...

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US citizen arrested in Dubai after exercising legal free speech in America American citizen and former army captain, Sherif Osman, has been detained in the UAE and faces extradition to Egypt over social media content he posted from his home in Westfield Massachusetts critical of Egyptian strongman Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi. Osman, 46, who is originally from Egypt, has lived in the United States for 16 years, spending most of this time in Texas where he graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio. He now owns a start-up company in Westfield and recently got engaged to be married. Because his family, including his disabled mother, still live in Egypt, Sherif and his fiancé arranged a trip to Dubai for everyone to meet. Sherif’s mother, however, was turned back from her flight on November 5th by Egyptian authorities and prevented from leaving the country without explanation. On November 6th, Sherif was stopped by a plainclothes detective outside a restaurant in Dubai and abruptly taken into custody. “Sherif has gained a moderate following on social media for his commentary about the political situation in Egypt,” explains Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai and Interpol and Extradition Reform (IPEX) , an organization dedicated to combating Interpol abuse by undemocratic regimes globally, “ He recently endorsed calls for a peaceful protest to take place on November 11th during the COP27 meeting in Egypt; and this, apparently earned him the wrath of the Egyptian government.” If Osman is extradited to Cairo, Stirling warns, he will almost certainly be subjected to torture and possibly death in detention, “ The El-Sisi regime is notorious for its brutality towards political opponents, even the ousted former president died in custody ,” she says, “ It is absolutely appalling that an American citizen, who simply exercised his Constitutionally guaranteed free speech from his home in the United States, to criticise an authoritarian regime, and to advocate for peaceful protest; can be arrested in a foreign country for that criticism. This is almost a replay of the Saudi killing of Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey, except that Sherif is still alive, and the US has a chance to intervene before it is too late. “The UAE, along with Saudi Arabia, has bankrolled the El-Sisi government since the coup in 2013, and Egypt and the Emirates have had a symbiotic relationship politically and economically ever since. Sherif’s extradition is certain unless the US takes a stand. ” There are currently some 60,000 political prisoners held in Egypt, with hundreds dying in custody every year. Inmates report being kept in filthy, overcrowded cells; being denied life-saving medication, and being subjected to torture repeatedly. “ Approximately half of all inmates in Egyptian jail cells are political prisoners ,” Stirling explains, “ Thousands more are being detained without trial. Even without violent abuse by the police, the conditions of the jails are themselves life-threatening, which is not even mentioning the inhumane conditions and systematic torture that exists in UAE prisons. Sherif’s life is in danger in Dubai detention, and if the US allows his extradition, we fear that his fate will be sealed. We cannot forget that the UAE was an alleged accomplice in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and the disposal of his body in 2018. Now we have another political dissident grabbed from the street in the Middle East for statements he made under the protection of the US Constitution, except in this case, Sherif Osman is an American citizen. Justice for Jamal Khashoggi Washington Post Journalist Having now passed 125 days since the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi by a Saudi hit squad in that country’s consulate in Istanbul. “According to Interpol’s own rules, Red Notices cannot be politically-motivated, and extradition for political dissent is prohibited. Egypt and the UAE are once again abusing the Interpol system to expand their jurisdictions, creating a kind of authoritarian axis. The current president of Interpol, Ahmed Nasser Al-Raisi, is himself a former high-ranking Emirati official accused of torture; so, immediate and forceful intervention by the United States government is the only hope Sherif has to regain his freedom. “We are reaching out to the American embassy in the UAE, and will be appealing to Sherif’s Senate and Congressional representatives as well, to urge their involvement in this outrageous case. Both the UAE and Egypt are American allies, and we expect the US government to secure Sherif’s release through urgent diplomatic intervention. There is no legal basis for his detention, and no grounds for his extradition; the Egyptian government does not get to punish Americans just because they don’t like what we say.” British man arrested in Egypt for ‘patting’ guard on back released from custody | Lancashire Telegraph An online petition calling for Tony Camoccio’s release received more than 5,000 signatures. 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

American faces torture if extradited to Egypt for criticising regime

US citizen arrested in Dubai after exercising legal free speech in America American citizen and former army captain, Sherif Osman, has...

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With the looming 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the myriad nefarious controversies, allegations of corruption and skulduggery surrounding its “winning” hosting the event, we shall be examining a catalogue of inescapable ugly truths that envelope this country, its romanticised and delusional image portrayed to a susceptible public, body of corporations, financiers, public figures, governments and ultimately FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association). Primarily, the awarding of the 2022 FIFA World Cup to Qatar created a number of concerns and obvious red flags regarding both Qatar's suitability as a host country and the fairness of the FIFA bidding process. Criticism from a number of media outlets, sporting experts, and human rights groups highlighted problems such as Qatar's limited football history, the high expected cost, the local climate, and significantly, Qatar's human rights record. Additionally, there have been numerous recorded allegations of bribery between the Qatar Bidding Committee and FIFA members and executives involved in what should be a transparent, ethical and fair process. Several FIFA members have since gone on record saying that the decision to award the tournament to Qatar was a “mistake”, notably including Theo Zwanziger and ex-FIFA President, Sepp Blatter. 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 Qatar of course forbids, under strict laws, homosexuality of any type or preference and therefore any resultant LGBT activism that might arise from its hosting FIFA. This initially impacted the country’s awarding of the games due to its blatant anti-gay stance (with a member of the Dutch Parliament for the Party for Freedom (PVV), even proposing that the Dutch football team play in pink, instead of the country's national color - orange - to protest the gay rights situation in Qatar). Naturally Qatar quickly back peddled once it realised the negative media ramifications of enforcing and maintaining its traditionally homophobic attitudes towards same-sex relationships. The head of Qatar's World Cup bid team, Hassan Al-Thawadi, said that everybody was welcome at the event, so long as they refrained from public displays of affection. "Public display of affection is not part of our culture and tradition", he stated. Despite, hotels have warned gay couples not to book. Qatar Airways, one of the apparent global leaders in Middle Eastern aviation whose in one of its many mission statements boasts “Together, Everything is Possible, We dare to deliver an experience like no other. We’ve grown fast, overcome challenges, and set trends that others follow. But the story doesn’t stop there. Our future is written by our people.” These are fantastic claims for a company that has set a benchmark for some of the most reprehensible human rights abuses of not only its employees, but its passengers too. Since its inception and introduction into the once neophyte Middle East aviation industry back in November of 1993, (an era where an airport consisted of a mile of ex-military paved concrete runway in the sand dunes and a few dusty Nissen huts serving as passenger terminals), Doha based Qatar Airways (QA) in its quest to compete with neighbouring Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), each with their own fledgling state airlines, aggressively sold itself as a leader in the industry. Amman, Jordan, was its first regular route in May 1994. In April 1995, the airline's CEO was Sheikh Hamad Bin Ali Bin Jabor Al Thani who employed a staff of just 75. By this time the fleet consisted of two basic Airbus A310s that served a route network primarily within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Middle East (ME), as well as more ambitious long-haul routes; including Bangkok, Cairo, Khartoum, London, Madras, Manila, Muscat, Osaka, Taipei, Tokyo and Trivandrum. During 1995, two ex-All Nippon Airways (ANA) Boeing 747s were bought from Boeing. The airline acquired a second-hand Boeing 747SP (a shortened version of the Boeing 747) from Air Mauritius in 1996. Things were looking promising for this vanguard air carrier in its heyday as it steadily increased its routes and simultaneously required increasing logistics, locations and staffing levels. Now boasting a fleet of over 200 state-of-the art avant-garde jetliners, this Oneworld Alliance state flag carrier for Qatar relies on a workforce of more than 43,000 employees, the majority of which are head-hunted, gleaned or poached from other carriers and countries to bolster its professional staff and to train, enhance and maintain its required ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) operational status. Qatar’s braggadocious claims of a “5-Star Airline” that will “take you more personally” if you choose to “Go Places together” on its global routes is an amateur sloganeer’s cakewalk. Its current chairman, Mr. Akbar Al Baker (also appointed Secretary-General of Qatar’s NTC (National Tourism Council), even goes as far as to state that; “His goal is to make Qatar Airways your airline of choice, offering the flights you want to the destinations you need. It is this which drives our collective mission to achieve ‘Excellence in everything we do’ at all levels across our Qatar Airways family of highly-skilled and committed professionals, from across the globe.” However, despite these proclamations, the clandestine track record shows that this comes at a high price for countless employees of this airline ‘family’. Moreover, in what in normal corporate business circles would seem a distinct and dubious conflict of interests (something not uncommon in the GCC and ME), Mr Al Baker seems to have his fingers in sundry Machbous across the globe, having been awarded several sycophantic trinkets, accolades and trophies along the way to no doubt bolster the company’s façade in QA’s boardroom display cabinets. Interestingly, though holding his bountiful lofty position(s) in Doha and with QA, Mr Al Baker is also curiously a non-executive Director of (London) Heathrow Airport Holdings (HAH) - the company responsible for the running and development of the UK’s largest airport. A magnificent feat seemingly inconceivable for a lone individual to achieve successfully and efficiently, one would imagine. Qatar Airways workforce comprises a majority of western and Asian employees for both its ground operations, maintenance, engineering, customer service and operations roles and to crew its aircraft. The majority of its aircrew (pilots and flight attendants) are hired from an array of countries, the majority of its flight deck (cockpit) crews primarily being highly trained professional pilots sought from the UK, US, Europe and Asia. Customer facing ground and cabin crew nationalities also range from countries primarily including the UK, Europe, the Philippines, Nepal, various Asian subcontinent countries, Northern African countries (Tunisia, Morocco, Ethiopia, etc.), as well as Lebanon, Turkey and Eastern Europe. Engineering staff are also primarily sourced from first world countries due to their training backgrounds matching the technical demands and criterion necessary to ensure the standard development, evaluation, and certification of airspace systems, maintenance, procedures, and equipment benchmarks set by global aviation authorities. In the member states of the GCC, migrant workers, (ranging from top-level ‘White Collar’ professionals to unskilled workers) compose the majority of the population, working in the aviation, construction, retail, manufacturing industry, and domestic work sectors. The GCC relies heavily on countless educated, skilled and experienced professionals to manage and run its industries, as well as hundreds of thousands of unqualified, unskilled and uneducated workers from the Asian subcontinent and the Philippines who are critical to its successful economic development. As migrant workers generally occupy the most physically intensive industries, they are systematically abused, exploited, marginalised, and silenced through threats of deportation and unemployment. However, this mistreatment of workers and employees is not just confined to these easily replaced minions. Although each nation of the GCC individually conducts its own labour laws, the pattern of forced labour, human rights abuses and human trafficking is abnormally prevalent in Qatar. Local and international human rights organizations have reported on the abuse of migrant workers, but these populations are highly vulnerable due to lacking or unenforced rights’ protections, likened to modern day slavery. This applies to white collar skilled professionals as well. This practice falls under what is referred to as the “Kafala” (sponsorship) system. The residency of migrant workers is monitored under the Kafala system. Under this capricious scheme, employees are individually assigned and nearly entirely controlled by an employer. Migrant workers in particular are often recruited via fraud and deception, becoming susceptible to a range of human rights violations, including and not limited to sexual, physical and psychological abuse by employers. Reports also include confiscation of passports, deliberate starvation of employees, restrictions on mobility, excessive work hours, delayed (or even non) salary payments, and subpar working and living conditions. Migrant workers are reportedly often deported for minor transgressions, including complaining about working conditions. Upon arrest, workers may be jailed and deported, without inability to appeal. While dubious legal remedies exist, language and mobility barriers often limit accessibility and a corrupt, racism-laced judicial system often ends badly for most naive victims. The dearth of foreigners lured to the GCC and its promises of “tax-free” earnings, seemingly too-good-to-be-true opportunities and the perks of such a lifestyle unobtainable in their native homelands naturally appeal to persons of all faiths - practising or not, the majority being mostly non-Muslims. This began during the oil boom of the 1970s which created a tremendous demand for foreign labour in the Persian Gulf frontier states. Unsurprisingly, the number of workers needed to drive the emerging economies of the Gulf states was bound to include significant numbers of such non-Muslims. For example, there are now estimated to be more than three and a half million expatriate Christians working in the six GCC states, mostly Catholics from the Philippines, India, Europe, UK, US and other primarily Judaeo-Christian nations. Though this is a deliberately ignored actuality, the elephant in the room dictates that such non-believers (“Kafir”) are discriminated against, treated less humanely and held to a lower standard which with experience, some could describe as disdain, injustice and contempt by employers and authorities at every level, especially within the judicial system and inequality within the workplace - whether for skilled, or unskilled workers across all trades and work environs. Most often this manifests from natives employers often concocting “transgressions” and escalating otherwise benign work-related infractions to more serious consequences for many. These arbitrary infractions can also occur outside of the normal workplace and expected working hours and what would otherwise be in one’s own personal time and privacy. We shall be exploring and exposing just some of immeasurable documented instances of these human rights violations in a series of upcoming editorials. But for now, let’s focus on Qatar and its flamboyant national airline which as described, also uses the above bait to draw its diverse workforce from various skill sets and backgrounds. The scope of abuse and maltreatment of its multinational labour force, ranging from flight crews to ground crews, engineers, corporate staff and even marketing experts is far-reaching and mostly unreported. There are instances for example whereby female flight attendants for Qatar Airways have been stalked, harassed, surveilled, abused and penalised for not arriving at their accommodation “on time” after finishing their shifts, for “fraternising” with male colleagues or unrelated males, as well as using social media “inappropriately”. There are a plethora of accounts of employee abuse of both cabin crew and pilots for “discrepancies” such as being deemed “too fat” for work, not wearing a uniform cap correctly, having too much or too little makeup or lipstick, being “too jovial”, being “overtly gay” or publicly humiliated for being LGBT, or for allegedly having “inappropriate interrelations” while on a shared crewed flight. These incidents frequently result in a consequent summons to a meeting in QA’s corporate offices to be forced to write false formal apologies under duress and receive severe warnings, removal from anticipated crew roster flight schedules and sometimes worse. Al Baker is pushing his vision of Doha as a great hub for international air traffic. He pushed his vision of Qatar Airways just as forcefully, where all annual reports are classified and board members are anonymous, but the brand name is well known, just the way Al Bakar wants it. One former flight attendant with QA (who wishes to remain anonymous), recounts her experiences of just one incident of many abuses while she was with the airline. According to her, she met with leadership on a couple of occasions. She states; “He can storm unannounced into a lecture room for new flight attendants, and without another word monopolise the situation. He will also personally take flights just to measure staff service capabilities and he shows up at briefings in which Qatar Airways flight attendants stand with their fingers at chest height so that nails, complexion and hair can all be inspected at whim.” Qatar Airways accused of human rights abuses “When Cesar Ferreira appealed his dismissal from Qatar Airways, he never imagined it would end in Doha’s rat infested abysmal third world jail”, explains Radha Stirling On one occasion, leadership showed up at a briefing where our flight attendant was present, she greeted him politely and directly. He did not reply. "You need to lose weight!" he demanded instead - and abruptly left the meeting. Every day, the flight attendants log onto the company intranet, where the flight roster schedules are kept and updated. One morning, when this flight attendant logged on, all her flights had been deleted. No one had warned her. Her schedule was empty. Everyone in the company knows what that means. She quickly went to an ATM. Here, she withdrew 10,000 Riyals. She has been working for two years. No complaints had been filed against her. On the contrary, she has been promoted and been given special assignments. But she knows that if she didn't withdraw her entire salary right then, Qatar Airways would freeze her local bank account. She had been detected and was therefore dispensable. The same tyrannical rules don’t just apply to cabin crew, pilots of many years’ experience and skilled backgrounds are also subject to harsh retribution should they abuse their “privileges”. In another documented case, a captain with many hours flight time and a career spanning two decades formed an amicable and ultimately close relationship with a flight attendant he was often crewed with. During their flights, their acquaintance naturally developed. This, in a normal and civilised professional environment would be a natural, private and acceptable occurrence. Despite colleagues' warnings, their relationship instinctively matured and the flight attendant slept over at this captain’s lodgings one night. The reaction was immediate. The girl was arrested, spending three nights in Qatari custody. The pilot was stripped of his flights. The flight attendant was ultimately shipped back to her home country, penniless, with the status “deported”, (which means she will be denied any future entry into Qatar). The pilot's comparatively milder punishment was a final warning. Any further infraction from him within the next six months and he would have to leave Qatar Airways. Needless to say, soon after the incident, this captain recognised the potential ramifications and while he had the opportunity, resigned while on leave in his own country. Stewardesses and pilots working for Qatar Airways have all signed a detailed Non Disclosure Agreement about not discussing the company, sharing their views on Facebook or showing pictures of their uniforms. “Getting fired is easy,” says a crew member (wishing to remain anonymous), who claims that luck is the reason she still has her job. “There was a period a few months ago when four staff housing buildings were more or less emptied. Every time you were hanging out with another stewardess, mobile phones kept ringing: she's off, now she's off. I was talking to a friend one day when six of the girls in her building had been fired in the same week.” The company's sudden redundancies are as constant as the international recruitment days every weekend. Stewardesses are fired for wanting to change roommates, for posting an inappropriate Facebook status, for getting a discreet tattoo, for returning to the housing five minutes after curfew, for letting a man that they know who is neither their husband or father give them a lift to work, or for simply smoking a cigarette during their time off. QA pilots are often forced to complete required paperwork in contravention of international aviation safety standards and law, or face severe disciplinary action and even termination or breach of their contracts. These include non-reporting of inadequate required rest periods between long-haul flights for aircrew, falsifying aircraft and pilot’s flight logs and other required paperwork, being instructed to violate restricted airspace, and being penalised for determining recommended operational aircraft fuel loads required for flights. One captain explains that he often was called to the flight operations management after a flight because he “took on too much fuel” for a flight sector into a notoriously renowned difficult airport approach, situated in a hazardous location that requires at least 45 minutes “minimum emergency fuel” lest this destination airport weather was below internationally stipulated safe landing parameters and he - as captain - would have to make the informed decision to divert to the nearest available airport (requiring such excess fuel) where it was possible to safely land. It seems inconceivable that QA admonishes and reprimands pilots for being professional and applying their years of training and skills for the safety of their passengers, crew and aircraft, as well as adhering to international aviation safety regulation protocols. As if there were not already enough recorded scandals surrounding this deeply problematic airline, in recent news, Marc Bennett, a senior British executive at a subsidiary of Qatar Airways was found hanged in a Doha hotel room just ten weeks after being detained and allegedly abused, beaten and tortured by Qatar’s secret police over allegations that he sent confidential business correspondence to a private email address. Authorities in Qatar have typically rushed to rule Bennett’s death a suicide, attempting to once again sweep yet another scandal under its Arabian carpet, despite their counterparts in the UK declaring that there was “no specific evidence of suicidal intent”. Evidently a trailblazer in the travel industry, Bennett was filched by Qatar’s tourism authority, Discover Qatar, in 2017. Mark Bennett ‘suicide’ - FCDO must increase travel warnings says Radha Stirling. Detained in Doha founder Radha Stirling issued a statement on Mark Bennett's tragic case After the desert state won the right to host the 2022 World Cup later this year, it tasked tourism expert Bennett to help sell the country as a modern, safe, forward thinking international tourism destination, despite the country’s prominent image to the contrary. As senior Vice President of the organisation, he was charged with developing the country’s tourism industry in time for the FIFA World Cup which will be held next month. Ironically, Bennett had worked to improve the image of Qatar, where allegations of human rights abuses are rife, and was said to work closely with Qatar Airways boss, Al Baker. But after he signalled he wanted to leave his role, he found himself arrested and detained for weeks. Bennet was due to leave Qatar for London in October, 2019. His tickets kept on getting cancelled, and two days later he was summoned to Qatar Airways’ head office in Doha where the police were waiting for him. Bennett was released from detention on November 10, 2019, but he was barred from leaving the country, and his passport had been confiscated. On Christmas Day, 2019, Bennett was found dead. He had not left a suicide note. The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) got involved in the case, but in a bizarre twist, diplomats dropped the case just a week after Liz Truss became Foreign Secretary. In a bizarre coincidence, Truss visited Qatar just a month after Bennett’s death and within months, the Qatari government unveiled a £10 billion investment package in Britain. Until now, Bennet’s death remains unresolved. In summary, while Qatar boasts an idealistic, progressive and forward momentum via its endless glossy torrents of advertising media, its inherently fundamental regressive and Bedouin feudal tribalism and corrupt traditions far outweigh any advances it may have achieved, usually at the expense of the blood, sweat and tears of foreign skilled expertise, experience, knowledge and manpower. Its definitive appalling human rights record speaks volumes and we shall be addressing this in a series of detailed articles, including highlighting the boundless and shameless corruption and exploitation of workers and personnel surrounding the hijacking of FIFA 2022. 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

Qatar Airways abuse exposed.

With the looming 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the myriad nefarious controversies, allegations of corruption and skulduggery...

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