top of page

NEWS

German national Dieter Kellouche was jailed in Sharjah for offending a Sheikh. He suffered outrageous treatment that led him to go on hunger strike. German ministers accused the government of “abandoning” Dieter, neglecting to even visit him for over a year and failing to escalate diplomatic conversations after Dieter was hospitalised with a broken foot caused by a violent cellmate. Man facing life sentence in UAE for 'upsetting Sheikh.' Due Process Newsroom & Media Centre His powerful opponent seemed to have autonomy over the court system in Sharjah with judges not even considering defence materials. “This is standard in the UAE”, explains Radha Stirling , CEO of Detained in Dubai who assisted the then 42 year old. “Most lawyers won’t even represent a client against a ruler or member of the royal family. In Dieter’s case, the German government eventually provided assistance and with the media attention, the Sheikh provided a statement that he would drop the allegations but this by no means compensates Dieter for the nearly five years he spent in prison”. Dieter is currently recovering in Germany and is relieved to finally be home. “Recovery is not instant”, explained Stirling, “after almost five years of hell, Dieter will never be the same but at least he has his family to help him get past the ordeal. Many prisoners suffer from PTSD and are afraid to even travel in the future. German man has gone on hunger strike in Sharjah’s notorious prison, after being sentenced to life in prison at whim of Emirati royal Due Process Newsroom & Media Centre “This case highlights just how backwards and corrupt the UAE judiciary can be and how susceptible to abuse visitors to the country are. Like most, Dieter never imagined this would happen to him. He had not violated the laws or committed a crime but ended up behind bars. “We are so very pleased that Dieter is finally free and wish him and his family a speedy recovery”. Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http:///www.radhastirling.com Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KH20nw... Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/detainedindu... YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Email: info@detainedindubai.org

Dieter Kellouche freed from Sharjah prison

German national Dieter Kellouche was jailed in Sharjah for offending a Sheikh. He suffered outrageous treatment that led him to go on...

Read More
Danish citizen successfully removed from Interpol. A Danish citizen who was scammed out of $30,000 in the UAE and subjected to an abusive Red Notice as part of an extortion scheme, has had his name successfully removed from the Interpol database by Radha Stirling and Detained in Dubai . “ This was a particularly outrageous case ,” Stirling said, “ Our client hired an attorney in the UAE to help collect debts he was owed; but instead of carrying out the work for which he had been paid $30,000, the attorney forged a document claiming my client owed him AED 13 million. He filed a police case, and proceeded to use the Power of Attorney granted to him by my client to have an associate plead guilty to fraud on my client’s behalf – all after he had already left the UAE .” Stirling, who has long been the leading critic of Interpol abuse, and is the founder of Interpol & Extradition Reform (IPEX), explained that the Danish national found himself subjected to a Red Notice by the international policing organisation at the behest of the UAE, “ With the fraudulent confession made by this serial scamster in my client’s name, the court convicted him, and requested an Interpol Red Notice against him to seek his extradition. In Summer of last year, he was pulled over in a routine traffic stop by police in Denmark, only to discover that he was listed as an international fugitive by the UAE. He was forced to undergo extradition proceedings, which finally ended with Danish authorities dismissing the Red Notice; yet his Interpol listing remained, making international travel impossible .” ‘Denmark Faces Human Rights Issues over UAE Extradition Treaty’ says Expert Due Process Newsroom & Media Centre The Dane then contacted Detained in Dubai , which boasts a 100% success rate in the removal of wrongful Interpol listings. “ We have well over a decade of experience combatting Interpol abuse, particularly that committed by the Gulf States, ” Stirling said, “ Countries like the UAE and Qatar are among the world’s top abusers of the data collection system; they habitually weaponise Red Notices as devices to extort money, harass, intimidate and threaten foreigners, and to affect a de facto expansion of their own jurisdiction. Our client in this case was fortunate to have discovered the Red Notice while in his home country; if he had been detained over the listing in any number of other jurisdictions, he would have likely been extradited and would be in an Emirati prison today for a crime he didn’t commit.” Interpol Red Notice Abuse - Expert Radha Stirling deletes another two Interpol Red Notices in January Due Process Newsroom & Media Centre Stirling cautions tourists, expats, and investors who travel to the Gulf to be aware of the dangers , “These are not countries with independent judiciaries, and due process is abysmally below global norms. As we saw in this case, it is disturbingly easy to falsify documents, level baseless allegations, and get convictions without evidence. Even mundane financial disputes can lead to a criminal case and an Interpol listing, sometimes without the individual ever knowing about it. The UAE and all of the Gulf States allow convictions in absentia, and accusations can be made against a person even when they are not in the country. This is why we strongly advise anyone visiting the UAE, or even anyone who ever has visited the UAE, to run a police check on their name and an Interpol database search to ensure that no cases exist without their knowledge. Unfortunately, the Interpol website does not provide complete listings, and this is just another aspect of that organisation’s lack of transparency which we have been lobbying to change. “A case like that of our recent client should never have been accepted by Interpol, but once they list a name, it is tremendously difficult to get it removed. Having a Red Notice severely restricts a person’s freedom of movement, and stigmatises them as if they are fugitives from justice. There is reputational damage, and often there can be devastating financial consequences resulting from an Interpol listing; yet Interpol continues to allow persistent abusers like the UAE to request Notices without cause, and a person can be listed in a matter of minutes, while disputing a listing can take months. We are just glad that our experience and expertise were able to resolve this matter; it is one of the best parts of our job when we get to celebrate with a client the successful resolution to their issues and congratulate them for their newfound freedom from an unjust Interpol listing.” BBC Scotland Conor Howard extradition to Qatar from Greece with Radha Stirling & Kenny MacAskill MP Home | IPEX Reform | Interpol & Extradition Reform, Expert Witness, Interpol Removal, Crisis Management, Legislative & Government Advisory Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http:///www.radhastirling.com Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KH20nw... Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/detainedindu... YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Email: info@detainedindubai.org

UAE Interpol Red Notice against Danish citizen is deleted

Danish citizen successfully removed from Interpol. A Danish citizen who was scammed out of $30,000 in the UAE and subjected to an abusive...

Read More
A British crypto expert faces extradition from Saudi to the US but lawyers and academics claim this would be a violation of international law as it impinges on the sovereignty of Britain. The US has increasingly sought to apply its own laws universally with increasing vigour. Just a short while ago, it was concerning when countries like Australia wanted to charge citizens with conduct in another country. The implications at the time were extremely concerning. Not only were people suddenly subject to the laws of the country they were visiting, but they were also subject to their own country’s laws. Although there was significant concern about the universal application of a country’s laws, the public was subdued with promises that it would just get “the real baddies, mostly child abusers”. Fast forward a couple of decades and we are seeing the very “slippery slope” analysts foresaw in the early days. Once the precedent for extraterritorial laws was accepted and experimented with, it didn’t take long for those powers and laws to be expanded. The US has been the worst offender. The Department of Justice (DOJ) decided to indict in absentia British national Christopher Emms alleging that he violated US sanctions against North Korea when he visited the country to attend a cryptocurrency conference that another US citizen attended. The 30 year old crypto expert, an advisor to British regulators and a frequent speaker , violated no British laws nor international laws when he attended the conference, but the DOJ listed Emms on Interpol’s Red Notice database during his visit to Saudi and has applied for his extradition under the IEEPA, a statute that specifies it only applies to “US persons”. US seeks extradition of British national over cryptocurrency conference: The case of Christopher Emms. Due Process Newsroom & Media Centre “After consultation with lawyers in the UK, Saudi and the US”, extradition expert Radha Stirling who is assisting Emms explains, “we are disappointed the US would challenge the sovereignty of the United Kingdom in seeking the extradition of a British citizen who has not violated any British or international laws. “If Saudi Arabia were to agree to the extradition request, they would also be in violation of international law and UN principles respecting sovereignty. The US has absolutely no right to apply their laws universally to foreign nationals and expect countries to surrender them. If Saudi and the UK do not stand up to this expansionist authoritarian mindset, they better start teaching US law at British schools”. At the time of the conference, the US President and his advisors had visited North Korea and were seeking to strengthen their relationship and perhaps even forge a friendship. “It was a different time”, Mr Emms recalled “the British foreign office saw no issues with citizens attending the conference and I made sure to check the advice in advance”. Stirling has called on the British government to request the dismissal of the indictment and extradition request, to preserve UK sovereignty, uphold international law and protect citizens against state harassment and legal abuse. Chris speaking at the World Blockchain Forum in Dubai Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http:///www.radhastirling.com Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KH20nw... Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/detainedindu... YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Email: info@detainedindubai.org

Extradition of British crypto expert to USA would challenge UK sovereignty

A British crypto expert faces extradition from Saudi to the US but lawyers and academics claim this would be a violation of international...

Read More
Disgraced Saudi Prince, Turki bin Abdullah; now in prison for corruption; organised a secretive meeting at a luxury oasis in the desert 2 hours outside Riyadh in 2016, in what is suspected to have been a move to recruit support for a possible coup against the newly anointed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman; popularly referred to as MBS. The ornate resort was built exclusively for this purpose, but the contractors tasked with its construction were cheated out of payment, and subsequently persecuted for the sensitive knowledge they possess about the project. The Dubai based company established by a US resident, SDW Events LLC, was enlisted to design and build the “Tuwaiq Oasis” to host a billionaires investment conference allegedly to bolster Prince Turki bin Abdullah in his rivalry with MBS. The company was given a suspiciously tight and unrealistic deadline for the project’s completion – indicating that Turki’s plans were urgent and time-sensitive. The prince was already under investigation for using infrastructure projects to line his pockets, and MBS had made clear that he was committed to wage an unforgiving campaign against corruption in the country. Observers note that Turki likely realised that if he was going to make a move against MBS, he had to do it fast. However, in an apparent attempt to disguise his involvement, the Tuwaiq Oasis project was managed through multiple buffer companies and individuals to distance Turki from the billionaires recruitment event, which complicated construction. The contractors faced multiple obstacles and delays, and were frequently forced to pay suppliers and workers from their own funds; never to be reimbursed. Ultimately, the Rare 10 meeting was held on schedule, with the who’s who of America’s super-rich in attendance. But following the event, the contractors, still awaiting payment, were ostracised by Turki and his intermediaries. Within months, Prince Turki was one of 11 Saudi royals detained under house arrest in the Riyadh Ritz Carlton, and charged with corruption. When it appeared that the Tuwaiq Oasis contractors might be summoned to testify about the shadowy gathering of billionaires he had hosted, Turki had the UAE fabricate a case against the SDW Events LLC and got them listed on Interpol; thereby both preventing them from entering Saudi Arabia as witnesses, and ensuring that he would never have to pay them the millions he owed. Now an explosive lawsuit has been filed on their behalf which will bring to light the full extent of Prince Turki’s conspiratorial machinations. The attendees of the Rare 10 event might have believed they were establishing a profitable partnership with a potential rising star of Saudi Arabia, “ But we are going to ensure they’re aware that the Tuwaiq event has left a string of foreigners at risk of imprisonment and extradition for no other reasons than that the Saudis didn’t ‘feel like’ paying, and because Prince Turki doesn’t want them to be heard ”, says US attorney Dr Jonathan Levy who is representing SDW Events LLC. “ Our client undertook a massive project with unrealistic timelines on the contracted agreement they would be paid and would therefore be able to pay their own suppliers and contractors. Instead, his trust was abused and quite unbelievably, he was wrongfully listed on the Interpol Red Notice database so the Saudis could deprive them of the 20+ million owed; and so that Prince Turki could prevent his testimony in court. If this is the way business in Saudi is going to be played, investors need to be cautioned that their reputations and livelihoods are on the line. American businessmen need to know that their support of Saudi Arabia will inevitably lead to human rights violations against their fellow countrymen. KSA has intimated that they intend to clamp down on corruption and the Tuwaiq Oasis scandal is where they should start ”. Levy is set to raise the scandal with KSA representatives in Washington, DC. “ Dealing with high-ranking members of elite or royal families in the Gulf can be extremely treacherous ,” says Radha Stirling , founder and CEO of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International , “ Foreigners are often unfamiliar with the internal politics and rivalries at play when they enter into contracts with big local players in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, or Qatar. They believe such agreements are inherently beneficial because they connect them to the most powerful people in the region; but they do not consider that this power often allows these players to operate above the law, and they are able to breach contracts, expropriate money, refuse payment, seize ownership of companies and projects, and persecute foreigners with impunity. “This is particularly risky when you add the fraught dynamics of factional politics into the mix. We have seen vicious campaigns around contests for the throne in emirates like Ras Al Khaimah, for example, the aftermath of which resulted in a ruthless purge of high-profile business leaders, executives and investors; asset seizures, false imprisonments, Interpol abuse, and even severe human rights violations including torture.” Stirling, who also heads IPEX , an organisation dedicated to Interpol reform, explains that Gulf countries habitually use Red Notices as weapons against political critics and the financial victims of unscrupulous local partners, “ It is unsurprising that Prince Turki and his cohorts would instigate an Interpol listing against the Tuwaiq contractors; this is the modus operandi of Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and the governments and powerful families in the region. Any investor or professional who has been wronged by a local sponsor or business partner can expect to have a false case registered against them and Red Notice issued, whether it be to extort money from them, shift blame, intimidate, or otherwise neutralise any attempt they might make to pursue justice. “In this case, Prince Turki clearly wanted to cut all ties with the Tuwaiq Oasis project and could not be seen financing such an elaborate event that looked very much like a strategic move against MBS; particularly when he was already suspected of corruption. By having the head of SDW Events listed on Interpol, he believed he could not only guarantee that he would never have to pay for the project, but also that no one from SDW could testify about the Rare 10 meeting itself, which could dramatically increase the severity of the charges against him.” Disgraced Saudi Prince Convened Meeting of Billionaires Prior to His Arrest DUE PROCESS INTERNATIONAL Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http:///www.radhastirling.com Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KH20nw... Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/detainedindu... YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Email: info@detainedindubai.org

Saudi Prince uses Interpol to prevent damaging witness testimony

Disgraced Saudi Prince, Turki bin Abdullah; now in prison for corruption; organised a secretive meeting at a luxury oasis in the desert 2...

Read More
The US has issued an Interpol Red Notice against Chris Emms for allegedly violating US sanctions against North Korea (DPRK). Emms is currently held in Saudi Arabia as he fights against the US extradition request. The US has cast a wide net over blockchain professionals in an attempt to make an example of them but in doing so, has displayed what can only be described as “State Harassment”. 30 year old Crypto expert Chris Emms, from Reigate, Surrey, has found himself stuck in Saudi Arabia, fighting extradition to the United States who have accused him of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) despite not being a “US person” and thus not subject to the legislation. After the Julian Assange case, the US has been emboldened to further push for the extraterritorial application of US laws to foreign nationals even where legislation specifically only applies to Americans. Once a keen theatre director, Emms was drawn to technology early on and began his career heading up sales for the first ever crypto debit card issuer. Emms then built TokenKey, an innovative company offering off the shelf Initial Coin Offering (ICO) solutions, and became a highly sought after expert, advisor and consultant to governments, including Her Majesty’s . Emms' notoriety landed him a leading position as head of partnerships and business development with Bitcoin.com, working directly for owner Roger Ver. The blockchain expert has been a prominent speaker on regulatory issues and a broker and consultant for companies with blockchain and web3. The highly motivated entrepreneur went on to open the first ever Kosher food distribution company in the Gulf, significantly investing into the region and giving him the opportunity to play a crucial role in the Abraham Accords, working and educating businesses in the GCC on Jewish customs and relations alongside the UAE Israel Business Council. “In 2018, I was travelling frequently and presenting all over the world almost every other week”, explains Chris. “When Spanish national Alejandro Cao de Benos asked me to go to North Korea for another conference, I checked the FCDO travel advice for North Korea which indicated no issues and so I agreed to attend. With Trump’s meetings, it also appeared the relationship between the countries was improving. It was an uneventful few days with like minded people, just like any other.” Virgil Griffith was supposed to be the only speaker but they ran out of content to cover the two days and began asking other attendees to fill in the gaps. “ I was asked to speak briefly about topics I have spoken about publicly before, the content was nothing new or secret and I had absolutely no idea that I could ever be accused of any wrongdoing”. Mr Cao De Benos asked Emms to enquire if other industry peers would be interested in attending and listed Emms’ name on the conference website as a speaker. Emms commented “I did not see any issue with this. “I had checked whether there were any restrictions on me as a British citizen and there were none”. Emms attended the event and was asked to speak on the spot, along with US citizen Virgil Griffith and others whom he had not met until the first day of the conference. On the day of arrival though, all attendees had their belongings rigorously searched and Argentinian POAP founder, Patricio Worthalter, was accused of possessing a pornographic video on his laptop. This put the whole group on edge whose passports were confiscated as a result. They feared a small step out of line could lead to their detention. From that moment on, attendees were very aware of their language and conduct during the trip, ensuring not to inadvertently offend the hosts. Emms described the visit as a sort of “tourist propaganda event” where attendees were escorted to schools and museums with local guides. They weren’t allowed to interact with North Koreans and other than the guided tours, they were not even allowed to leave the confines of their hotel. In preparation, Mr Cao de Benos provided them with a number of documents and asked the speakers to incorporate the content that was obtained from publicly available google searches. Mr Cao de Benos had mistakenly listed Emms as an organiser of the event but Emms had no role as an organiser at all and he was not consulted or asked to be included on the website.. Emms confirmed, “I did not perform any organisation of the event, I did not have authority to do so and was careful not to do so”. Emms spoke at the conference, covering information that can be found freely on the internet to which North Koreans have access to. “We were even shown libraries where this information could be accessed”, recalls Emms. Emms provided no information that could have helped the government evade US sanctions against them and no information that was secret nor unavailable on Google. Emms was relieved when the conference he branded “uneventful and boring” was over. He returned to the UK later that month but was “shocked” to be taken aside on arrival and questioned in relation to the conference. He dutifully cooperated but it bothered him. Wanting to ensure there would be no further issues, he telephoned the British Intelligence Services hotline to clarify anything that was of interest to them, but they were not interested in pursuing the matter. Emms put the matter to rest and continued with his business and travels until he was made aware that another speaker in November 2019, Ethereum founder Mr Virgil Griffith, had been arrested. Griffith was accused of violating the IEEPA by providing information to North Korea. Griffith professed his innocence, but was under enormous pressure to agree to a plea bargain in return for a reduced sentence. Given his previous interactions with British authorities, Emms thought it prudent to engage a US representative to contact authorities on his behalf to see whether they had flagged any issues. They had no interest in liaising until 2021 when it became clear they were building a case against him. Emms was aghast. It seemed impossible. He hadn’t done anything wrong. Why would he be prosecuted by the US when he had not violated any British or international laws? He wasn’t a US citizen or US person. How could this be? Emms was not going to surrender to the US under these circumstances but informed the British authorities that he would happily cooperate with them or surrender himself in the event that they felt he had committed a crime. “You couldn’t ask for a more reasonable and cooperative subject”, said Radha Stirling , who is representing Mr Emms. “I could never advise anyone to surrender to a foreign jurisdiction that has no legal authority to prosecute them. This would be endorsing an overreach of powers and the extraterritorial application of laws to foreign nationals who are not subject to them. If another country like China or Russia attempted to do this to a British citizen, we would be outraged. We can not accept double standards simply because it’s America, for that would set a dangerous precedent”. Comforted that the UK was satisfied Emms had not violated any laws, he continued life as normal, but he didn’t know the US often goes to extreme measures to pursue targets. He expected they would consider him of trivial interest. Emms did not count on Interpol being used as a mechanism to secure him abroad, so when he travelled to Saudi Arabia for the LEAP tech conference, he had expected to be in and out in a matter of days but then his nightmare began. When Emms checked in for his return flight on the 4th of February 2022, his passport raised an alert and he was taken to the airport detention facility. He was held in a cell with around fifty other people before being cuffed and shackled and taken to an interrogation centre where he was put in front of two prosecutors. Emms was told the US had requested his extradition and asked whether he would agree to surrender or not. Terrified by the news and not knowing what would happen next, Emms promptly declined the offer and was given bail. His family and friends expected the worst, telling Stirling “It’s unimaginable that anyone could treat Chris like a criminal when all he’s done is attend a seminar. Chris is the gentlest and most loving person anyone could hope for in their lives. He has always been studious and ethical. Even the British government respects and seeks his expertise and he’s never violated any law, ever. What he and we are going through is the worst stress of our lives. It would be a crime against humanity for America to be able to just take our loved ones and plonk them in jails notorious for human rights violations when the laws don’t even apply in the UK! I can’t believe it and I pray for the US to drop any case against Chris. Don’t put him through this. The British government needs to stand up for its people. We are not American, we are British and if we have committed no crime in Britain or under international law, how can the UK allow the US to do this?” Emms and his supporters intends to lobby the government to help prevent the extraterritorial enforcement of US law against British citizens. Mr Emms has now been held in Saudi for nearly three months at significant expense and under extremely stressful conditions. Since hiring US lawyers, Emms has spent his life savings on lawyers with bills amounting to hundreds of thousands. Criminal investigations and extradition proceedings are not cheap. IPEX Reform founder, Radha Stirling says “sometimes governments issue Interpol warrants purely to harass, punish, extort or pressure victims. This kind of ‘Interpol Abuse’ is outrageous. The FBI is fully aware that the IEEPA does not apply to non-US persons, but has reported him to Interpol with the flimsiest of evidence I’ve ever seen. If they are aware the Act does not apply to him, why have they reported him to Interpol? It can only be described as State harassment. They ‘persuaded’ a reluctant Virgil Griffith to enter a guilty plea and they want another body in the grave. This is America’s opportunity to send a message to crypto professionals that “we can get you anywhere”. It’s highly suspicious that the Interpol Red Notice only came to light while Chris was in Saudi Arabia. We have to consider that they may have gone jurisdiction shopping and wanted him held in Saudi rather than the UK as this would put Chris at a disadvantage.” Foreign nationals have been charged under the IEEPA but they have been detained in the US and ended up pleading guilty to ensure they didn’t risk a life sentence. No foreign national has been successfully prosecuted under this Act. American ‘justice’ relies largely on intimidation. US authorities finally sent a communication to Saudi Arabia outlining the allegations against Emms. The US accused him of violating the IEEPA by: Accusation 1: Supplying visa advice to Virgil Griffith; Emms did not give visa advice to Virgil Griffith. Emms met Griffith at the event and was in no way involved with encouraging him to attend the event or organising his attendance. Accusation 2: Organising the Pyongyang event; Emms did not organise the event and nor did he have any authority to do so. Emms did not act in any way that could be construed as organising the event. The event was organised by DPRK and their Spanish representative. Accusation 3: Providing information to DPRK that would assist in circumventing sanctions, specifically showing a whiteboard drawing that displayed a smiley face with “no sanctions” written there. Emms provided only information already available in the public domain and that he had previously given at other conferences. There was nothing new or illicit about his content and he was not responsible for the whiteboard drawing that the US has included as their “evidence”. It is not even his writing but that of Griffith’s which they have already presented as evidence against him. The charges are essentially bogus and a far reach for the FBI. “If only the FBI went to such extents when US yacht Nostromo was attacked and US citizens kidnapped”, commented Stirling who has been surprised at the FBI’s tenacity in persecuting crypto professionals. Emms has taken the time in Saudi to go over the Pyongyang conference again and again. “We were not treated as friends of North Korea. Our passports were confiscated and before leaving, I underwent an interrogation and had a full room search. It wasn’t pleasant. If I have violated the laws of the United Kingdom, I am more than willing to admit guilt and face the consequences of my actions. However, after having in-depth conversations with officials and legal counsel in the US, Saudi and the UK, I am confident I’m not guilty of any crime of which the US has accused me and I will be fighting for justice. Emms has made it abundantly clear that he was not associated with Griffith, was not an organiser, “co-conspirator” or advisor. Emms was not aware of Griffith’s conduct prior to the conference nor about any of his apparent attempts to engage in business with North Korea. “This is not a matter that I in any way condone should he not have permission from the relevant authorities”. Family and friends of Chris told Stirling “Chris has used his knowledge to help the church increase transparency, harnessing the power of blockchain to empower the poor in developing worlds. He’s always been actively involved in the community and encouraged respect and diversity. That’s why he did so well with the Abraham Accords too. He won’t plead guilty to supporting the Korean regime. As tempting as it is when you are afraid, it’s never the right thing to do. He believes in fairness and transparency and that doesn’t include allowing yourself to be bullied, even if it is by the United States of America”. Stirling intends to fight the charges all the way, “Authorities threaten and intimidate victims into guilty pleas and promise lighter sentences and better prison conditions. These are not the indicators of a fair judiciary, these are issues that we criticise regularly in countries like the UAE, China and Russia. It is disappointing to see these authoritarian patterns in Western nations and right there in New York. “We will rigorously fight against extradition.” Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http:///www.radhastirling.com IPEX: Interpol & Extradition Reform: https://www.ipexreform.com/ Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KH20nw... Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/detainedindu... YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Email: info@detainedindubai.org

US seeks extradition of British national re cryptocurrency conference: The case of Christopher Emms

The US has issued an Interpol Red Notice against Chris Emms for allegedly violating US sanctions against North Korea (DPRK). Emms is...

Read More
Steve Long, the man who was arrested in Abu Dhabi because he was afraid, returns to England. The special forces veteran was arrested at Abu Dhabi’s international airport after expressing concerns there “could be a bomb on the plane”. He was sentenced to a £104,000 fine, the equivalent of 13 years in prison had he not been able to come up with the money. This is in spite of the UAE’s medical board determining that he was not of sound mind and was suffering from physical and mental trauma. Steve Long Transferred to Al Wathba Prison Where Family Fears "He Will Die" Radha Stirling , founder and CEO of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International commented on the case: “When the incident occurred which led to his arrest, Steve was on his way home to his family to go to hospital for treatment for undiagnosed PTSD because his mental and emotional state had been rapidly deteriorating while on holiday in the UAE. We are very glad to see his journey home finally completed so Steve can receive the help he needs. However, Abu Dhabi demanded a payment of £104,000 for Steve’s release, which is more than what 96% of Britons earn in a year; it was an exorbitant fine that would have guaranteed jail time for a man already suffering severe psychological trauma had the family been unable to crowd-source the funds. Steve Long was arrested in the UAE because he was afraid. “When the case was brought to their attention, the FCDO did not intervene on Steve’s behalf, but his family and friends did. We released Steve’s story to the media immediately after his family contacted us, and his family mobilised to collect the funds to pay off the fine; but this is yet another failure on the part of the British government in protecting its citizens abroad. Steve’s arrest was unreasonable, and even airline staff did not initially agree to press charges, given Steve’s clear distress. The UAE has a history of using criminal cases essentially for extortive purposes, and Steve’s case is a prime example. Imprisonment would have been cruel and unusual punishment for a man already in the grips of a mental breakdown, so they set the fine knowing Steve’s family would do whatever necessary to pay it; and knowing apparently that the FCDO would not take any action to press for his compassionate release. “Etihad pushed the police to drop the case after reviewing his medical evidence but by then, it was too late”. “I have spoken with Steve’s sister Clare, and of course they are ecstatic that Steve is home and recuperating with his family. They are immensely grateful for the generous support of all those who contributed to enable them to pay the fine; and they kindly request for their privacy to be respected. The family has been through a nightmare over the past several weeks, and we are very happy to see that nightmare come to an end. “This case, however, represents a stark warning to any British citizens travelling to the UAE, and we can assume that the Emirates will only be emboldened by how this case was resolved. Abu Dhabi has learned that the FCDO is effectively neutralised, and unless someone is able to earn the attention of the international media, they will have no recourse for justice in the UAE.” Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http:///www.radhastirling.com Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KH20nw... Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/detainedindu... YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Email: info@detainedindubai.org

Steve Long Freed

Steve Long, the man who was arrested in Abu Dhabi because he was afraid, returns to England. The special forces veteran was arrested at...

Read More
In a statement today, Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling who has dealt with numerous drugs related cases, commented on the recent death sentence handed down to Israeli national Fida Kewan in Abu Dhabi over charges that the woman possessed half a kilo of cocaine in her apartment: “The media should be aware that official outlets in the UAE report criminal cases based exclusively on information provided by the Public Prosecutor’s office, and that the facts of the case may prove to be radically different from those initially released. We have seen numerous cases, such as those of Andy Neal and Billy Hood, in which grossly exaggerated or entirely fabricated accusations were made against innocent people. British soldier is CLEARED after spending a year in UAE prisons on false drugs charges “Typically, accused individuals have very limited access to present their side of the story or to defend themselves against charges in the UAE court system. After 15 years of experience, we have learned to regard criminal charges in the Emirates with extreme scepticism, and very often discover that the facts of the case have been drastically misrepresented. In police custody, Ms. Kewan will almost certainly have been subjected to intimidation, coercion, and denial of due process; as this has become common and documented practice in the UAE. British man jailed for 25 YEARS in Dubai over cannabis oil 'was beaten to make him sign confession “The UAE has an extraordinarily strict position with regards to drugs cases, and death sentences are de rigueur, particularly in cases of suspected drug trafficking. However, there has not been an execution in the UAE for a drug conviction in decades, and capital punishment is almost always reduced to a life sentence on appeal; which is what I would expect in this case. Ms. Kewan would likely be eligible for release within 10 years, unless the Israeli government can argue mitigating circumstances or innocence, and successfully intervene on her behalf. Israelis should watch their step in the UAE, it's easy to wind up in jail, attorney warns Foreign nationals are more likely to be imprisoned in the UAE than in any other country, and as greater numbers of Israeli citizens flock to the Emirates, following the Abraham Accords, we will inevitably see a rise in the number of cases involving Israelis – innocent or otherwise. It should be noted that such cases may potentially be used by Abu Dhabi for political leverage with Israel, given the keenness of the Israeli government towards protecting and defending their citizens.” Israeli woman sentenced to death for drug smuggling in UAE | World | The Times Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http:///www.radhastirling.com Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KH20nw... Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/detainedindu... YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Email: info@detainedindubai.org

Israeli woman sentenced to death - Radha Stirling issues statement

In a statement today, Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling who has dealt with numerous drugs related cases, commented on the recent death...

Read More
Due Process International vows to end the ruthless persecution of crypto professionals who are forced to enter guilty pleas after unconscionable harassment. The United States government continues to target individuals involved in the cryptocurrency development, business and education sectors, casting a wide net over industry professionals and using harassment and intimidation to cause victims to plead guilty and provide witness statements against other industry professionals. With the threat of hefty sentences, prosecutors hope their targets will plead guilty to crimes they haven’t even committed in return for lesser sentences. Due Process International is representing one such client who is not even subject to US law, is not a US person or citizen and did not violate any law in their own country. Yet, the US has misused Interpol’s database to issue a Red Notice against him, hoping that he will be intimidated enough to provide testimony against an alleged co-conspirator that he incidentally met only once at a crypto conference, along with dozens of others. “Abusing Interpol’s membership is not uncommon” , says Interpol & Extradition Expert Radha Stirling, “but when we speak of Interpol Abuse, we are usually condemning countries like the UAE, Saudi, Qatar, China, Russia, Korea and Venezuela. There is an initiative in DC to hold Interpol legally accountable for allowing the continued wrongful reporting of individuals, given the human rights violations that victims are subjected to such as wrongful imprisonment abroad. If the US is actively misusing the database themselves to harass and extort victims, we are going to see opposition to any accountability movements in the States”. The sentencing discrepancies for crypto related prosecutions have been outrageous as we clearly see in the case of then 26 year old tech entrepreneur, Ross Ulbricht. Ulbricht created an exchange platform called ‘Silk Road’ and was sentenced to two life sentences without parole because some customers used the tool to pay for illegal goods. Ulbricht finally spoke out about his incredible case: Ethereum researcher Virgil Griffith entered a guilty plea in New York for violating sanctions after attending a conference in North Korea. Griffith had maintained his innocence up until September last year when he chose to plead guilty after undoubtedly succumbing to pressure from lawyers and prosecutors. Griffith is hoping for a reduced sentence, but there is significant industry concern that he was subjected to undue influence. His sentencing will be announced soon. Why Did Virgil Griffith Plead Guilty? Stirling continued, “What has been clear in many cases is that the US system will unscrupulously charge and threaten to prosecute industry professionals with the flimsiest of evidence insufficient for a conviction but when faced with life imprisonment in abysmal conditions while being offered a plea bargain, most lawyers will recommend their innocent client take the deal. Prosecutors are relying on this, charging victims with very serious and inappropriate crimes, hoping they will plead guilty so the prosecutor gets an easy win and a nice promotion. This kind of harassment has seen victims essentially confess to crimes they haven’t committed which in turn encourages the practice to continue. We’ve all seen A Few Good Men and while Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee starts out looking for easy plea deals, he eventually sees that justice should not be seeking to ‘close cases’ but should be seeking the truth. “It is clear that industry professionals are being maliciously targeted by the US and other governments and that there is very little support. Their reputations have been slandered, their assets looted and they've been harassed using the corrupt Interpol organisation. Interpol is now under the direction of the United Arab Emirates General Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi who has been accused of human rights abuses and torture, further diminishing the organisation’s credibility. “The United States seeks to intimidate small fish into providing testimony, even if false, against big fish.” Due Process International (DPI) is collating evidence to assist victims facing unfair trials, wrongful prosecution and imprisonment, and to end this unconscionable state ordained conduct. “The State relies upon individuals feeling they’re on their own, separated from any alliance so they can go in for the kill. That’s going to end”, said Due Process International CEO, Radha Stirling. Justice Department Installs New FBI Crypto Crime Unit - WSJ Buterin Asks Court for Leniency in Upcoming Sentencing of Virgil Griffith About Radha Stirling Radha Stirling founded Detained in Dubai and Due Process International in 2008 and has since helped and advised in more than 17,000 cases of injustice. Expert Witness Stirling is the founder of IPEX (Interpol & Extradition) Reform , a civil and criminal justice specialist, legislative, investment risk, business and policy advisor to the public and private sectors, speaker and host of the Gulf in Justice Podcast , covering regional issues in depth. Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http:///www.radhastirling.com Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KH20nw... Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/detainedindu... YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Email: info@detainedindubai.org

Cryptocurrency Entrepreneurs Face Unfair Persecution, Prosecution, State Harassment & Interpol Abuse

Due Process International vows to end the ruthless persecution of crypto professionals who are forced to enter guilty pleas after...

Read More
Grandfather Albert Douglas has been held as an economic hostage in Dubai. He has been beaten, tortured and denied his medication, but the FCDO says “torture in itself is not grounds for a clemency application”. The UK claimed Albert was their “top diplomatic priority” but the frail grandfather who is currently living in prison with broken bones has seen no change in his situation. “Yes, Dubai medics have confirmed that he was beaten and that he suffers permanent disability as a result” Albert’s son Wolfgang explains, “he has been seen by someone claiming to be a Dubai human rights officer but how does this help him? He’s still in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, is still living with broken bones as a result of being beaten by guards and there is no clear path to his release. This is insufficient and the British government must do more to help him”. With dwindling diplomatic influence in the region, the UK seems apprehensive to ask the UAE to seriously look into Albert’s case or that of other citizens who have been unfairly detained. They appear to be completely neglecting opportunities to diplomatically discuss a resolution while opting to negotiate energy deals. “To be clear”, says Radha Stirling , CEO of Detained in Dubai , “these are not cases of British nationals breaking the law and suffering the consequences. These are cases where citizens have been scapegoated or wrongfully convicted and where the evidence has been ignored by the haphazard justice system of Dubai. The victims of this injustice are then maltreated, abused and subjected to human rights violations and torture. This should be intolerable to the United Kingdom”. The Foreign Office has come under fire over the detention of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt calling for an investigation into their inefficiencies, but Nazanin’s case was far more complex to solve. She was accused of being a spy and held by a non-allied country whom we owed a debt to. Her case was resolved after six year’s detention, the payment of a large debt and a prisoner exchange. Stirling continued, “If the UK can resolve a complex case like Nazanin’s, but can not resolve fairly simple cases of injustice with long term allies like the UAE, then we have to question what their vested interests are. How can the British government allow an allied government to torture citizens and keep them in prison?” As oligarchs’ capital flows into UAE, human rights circle the drain | Radha Stirling | The Blogs Wolfgang Douglas has made a data protection request to the FCDO and is considering legal action. “My father has been living in prison for almost a year after being violently assaulted by prison guards. I am fully aware of what happened to Lee Bradley Brown and live in worry every day that I will never see my father again. He has been living in pain and with broken bones since the attack. I have told the FCDO over and over again but most of the time, they avoid calls, ignore emails and give conflicting information. On numerous occasions, they wrongfully reported my father had received medical treatment. They just report whatever the Dubai authorities tell them. They have allegedly forwarded a clemency request for Albert to be ‘pardoned’ which is ridiculous in itself since he is innocent but they wouldn’t ‘endorse’ it because torture is not in itself, sufficient for them to do so. They requested a lawyer to make a statement confirming that it was a miscarriage of justice but that is a criminal offence as lawyers are not allowed to criticise or diminish the government or judiciary. If they did, they would end up deported or in jail like Ahmed Mansoor . It is absurd that the FCDO would ask for an impossible document from countries where lawyers would be put at risk themselves. FCDO Responsibilities: Are Conflicting Goals Diminishing Efficacy? “Forensic experts have already confirmed that my father did not write the cheque for which he is in prison. He is innocent but his life has been turned upside down, his assets and everything he has worked for has been looted and he now suffers permanent disability and PTSD. Even if he is released now, he is not the same person. He will never be the same”. HOME | Albert Douglas Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http:///www.radhastirling.com Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KH20nw... Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/detainedindu... YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Email: info@detainedindubai.org

FCDO failure in Albert Douglas case

Grandfather Albert Douglas has been held as an economic hostage in Dubai. He has been beaten, tortured and denied his medication, but the...

Read More
Originally written for and published on The Times of Israel Blogs March 25th, 2022 Anyone concerned about human rights issues must inevitably be concerned about geopolitical issues as well. They must anticipate the repercussions of trends and events on the overall conditions in a society, or in a region, and how these conditions may lead to improvements or deteriorations in human rights protections. For nearly a decade and a half, I have been involved in human rights and justice issues in the Gulf States and broader region, and I have long cautioned that the UAE in particular has become increasingly defiant of the international community in conjunction with its rise in economic power and strategic importance. Suffice it to say that when Abu Dhabi refused to take calls from US President Joe Biden, I was not surprised. Nor was I surprised when the Emirates, along with Saudi Arabia, shrugged off the imminent energy crisis in Europe in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as not their problem, rebuffing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson when he visited recently to ask the countries to increase oil exports. I have been calling for years for Western nations to reassess their relationship with the UAE, and to re-evaluate its status as an ally. The Ukraine war appears to have finally tipped the scales in Washington, London and Brussels towards such a reassessment; but it might just be too late. The raft of retaliatory sanctions against Russia and the seizure of oligarchs’ assets in the US and Europe have turned Dubai into a magnet for Russian capital. We can expect that the same will be true for rich Chinese investors in the West, and potentially others from India, Pakistan and from any country that is either siding with Russia in the Ukraine conflict, or is otherwise maintaining neutrality. What global billionaires have learned from America and the EU’s response to the invasion is that their capital is not secure in the West, so it is predictable that they will be redirecting it towards Dubai. There are already reports of private jets from Moscow landing in quick succession at Dubai International Airport, and Russian investors flooding the UAE real estate market; tycoons from Hong Kong are shedding assets in the UK and Europe, and while we do not have real-time numbers, it is safe to assume that Dubai is going to welcome a significant influx of foreign capital. Added to this is the fact that the UAE is poised to elevate its position as a global energy producer with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) gearing up to tap an estimated 22 billion barrels of unconventional oil resources that could potentially out-produce America’s shale revolution. These dynamics matter from a human rights perspective because there is a clear correlation between the UAE’s economic strength or vulnerability and its behavior –most importantly, its responsiveness to international pressure over human rights and due process violations. For example, when Dubai ordered an assault in international waters against the American-registered yacht Nostromo to capture the fleeing daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 2017, the UAE was enjoying a rebounding oil price and a 71% increase in Foreign Direct Investment from the previous year. When the UAE is prospering, it becomes more belligerent, more defiant, and more ambitious. Not only are foreign nationals more unsafe in the country, but Emirati officials become even less concerned about global backlash and intervention by foreign governments. Since the Nostromo attack, FDI into the Emirates has more than doubled, even as the country has dropped in the rankings of the Global Economic Freedom Index and been slapped with a gray listing by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) over concerns about money laundering and terrorism financing. The UAE has skilfully used its increased economic power to buy impunity; pouring money from its gargantuan Sovereign Wealth Funds into projects in Europe, and boosting the post-Brexit UK to the tune of £10 billion. The Emirates has also intensified its spending on political lobbying in the West, even becoming embroiled in an election-meddling scandal involving illegal funds for the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton. As the UAE’s economic power and reach have grown, the country has behaved less and less like a Western ally. Abu Dhabi has pursued closer ties with China, reportedly even hosting black sites in the country for the detention and torture of Chinese dissidents , and colluding with Beijing to convert Chinese port installations in the UAE into military outposts. The UAE has carried out large-scale hacking operations against journalists, dissidents, and governments worldwide, so-called black PR campaigns to smear critics online, allegedly bribed politicians and judges in Georgia and India, and has become one of the leading abusers of the Interpol Red Notice system to intimidate and extort foreign nationals who have run afoul of Emirati banks and business partners. Meanwhile, British citizens like Albert Douglas , Billy Hood , Steve Long, and Ryan Cornelius , remain unjustly imprisoned in the UAE, subjected to grave human rights violations including torture, and the Emiratis continue to defy calls for their release – because they can. It seems that nearly every recent policy decision by the West has worked to embolden the UAE and increase its advantage, and the Emirates has not missed the opportunity to use that advantage against us. The sanctions against Russia and the anticipated foreign capital transfers from the US, UK and EU to Dubai will likely result in a record surge of FDI into the UAE, thereby almost guaranteeing greater hostility to Western interests, and even more predatory investing by the UAE in Western countries to increase the Emiratis’ influence and impunity. There is a glaring paradox, however, in the expected foreign capital flight to the UAE, and that is that the UAE is one of the least secure countries in the world in which to invest. The overwhelming majority of cases my organisation deals with involve foreign investors who have been defrauded, betrayed, and framed by Emirati business partners, sponsors, and banks, all for the purpose of stealing their capital and assets. Russians escaping to the supposed safe haven of the UAE will undoubtedly discover that they have fled into a trap. Given the global climate at the moment, any investor from Russia will be viewed by the Emiratis the same way a lion views a wounded gazelle. Their money is low-hanging fruit, and they will have even less recourse than other nationalities for resolving the inevitable contract breaches, embezzlement, and asset seizures that will occur. If we have learned anything over the past 10 years about the UAE, it is that they do not respect allies, and they will pounce upon any real or perceived weakness for their own enrichment and empowerment. They have distinguished themselves as skilled and pragmatic strategists, and their ambitions extend well beyond the region. While the UAE may never be a global power, they aim to insulate themselves from the influence of the global powers, as well as amplify their own influence within them; and the more successful they become in this pursuit, the more dangerous they become. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Radha Stirling founded Detained in Dubai and Due Process International in 2008 and has since helped and advised more than 15,000 foreign nationals facing trouble in the UAE. Stirling is an expert witness, civil and criminal justice specialist, legislative, investment risk, business and policy advisor to the public and private sectors, speaker and host of the Gulf in Justice Podcast , covering regional issues in depth. Further related articles: Much of the world is ambivalent about the Ukraine war. Rightly so. Times of Israel USA Today says FBI helped Dubai capture princess Detained in Dubai Blog Illegal seizure of the US flagged yacht carrying Sheikha Latifa on bid for asylum must be answered Detained in Dubai Blog China and the UAE: The Long Game Detained in Dubai Blog Impersonation nation? Israeli intel firms’ shady methods spotlighted in UAE flap Times of Israel The Dubai debt trap The Economist Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http:///www.radhastirling.com Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KH20nw... Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/detainedindu... YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Email: info@detainedindubai.org

Capital flight to UAE undermines human rights

Originally written for and published on The Times of Israel Blogs March 25th, 2022 Anyone concerned about human rights issues must...

Read More
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) with its 14,000 staff is tasked with promoting British interests abroad but the government department’s goals are often conflicting in nature, leaving diplomats in confusion over priorities, placing British citizens and interests across the board at risk. Divided diplomatic goals diminishes British influence abroad. by Radha Stirling, CEO of Due Process International & Detained in Dubai. In a BBC programme , Dr Edward Wastnidge explains “ The Foreign Office plays a key role in projecting the UK’s influence overseas through its emphasis on the so-called ‘rules-based international order’. As part of this, the FCDO emphasises British values in the UK’s international affairs, such as respect for the rule of law and human rights, and the promotion of democracy and good governance.” He then continues to explain another key area “for the Foreign Office in terms of the UK’s interests overseas lies in its focus on promoting prosperity through promotion of economic growth and development of trade relationships with other countries.” Are these two goals mutually exclusive? Not necessarily, but the latter certainly muddies the water, clouds the judgement and depletes the efficacy of senior diplomats, embassies and caseworkers. The FCO is broken FCDO diplomats promote mutual trade, investment and business interests, and simultaneously lobby for security and defence alliances. Economic and security interests in parallel may strengthen relations, especially in countries with similar ethos but difficulty arises when we introduce the obligation to “promote human rights” and support British citizens. It’s a delicate mix when on the one hand, we are asking for oil production favours and economic investment from Middle Eastern countries and on the other, we are ever so gently prompting the same governments to investigate or admit to serious human rights violations against our citizens. Some of our allies find such suggestions offensive, ungrateful and even hypocritical; A diplomat’s combined interests could easily be placed in jeopardy for raising such uncomfortable allegations. A Foreign Secretary or Ambassador will face the challenge to strike a balance and, with high turnover, each new official will need to learn to prioritise and sadly, they most certainly do. In the honest words of the former consular representative for the Middle East, “The FCDO prioritises economic interests above the human rights of British citizens”. Press Release: Parliamentary Debate - Should the FCDO increase travel warnings to British citizens heading to Dubai This truism can’t be camouflaged. It is reflected in everyday actions, and spoken in the words of every British national who has ever sought help from their government. It is reflected in the dismissiveness of senior diplomats and ministers all the way down to junior case officers who are flooded with formal complaints from outraged family members. Dubai Prisoners Slam Foreign Office It is not only the angered British nationals that the FCDO should be concerned about, but the resulting diminished respect from foreign allies. If Britain struggles or side-lines efforts to diplomatically resolve cases of wrongful detention, forced confessions, human rights abuses, torture and extrajudicial killings, allies like Saudi, Qatar and the UAE will naturally view the UK as weak. This wasn’t always the case, a former diplomat tells me, “We used to go out of our way to help citizens where we saw injustice. We did everything possible and we did it fast. The FCDO doesn’t help citizens anymore, has declining influence and appears desperate to other countries”. In neglecting its obligation to citizens and to the promotion of human rights and deliberately avoiding any topic that might be deemed “offensive” to an overseas monarch, Britain has weakened itself. Before the FCDO can re-establish respect, they will need a change in policy. Open Letter: Consular officials slammed in letter to MP over Albert Douglas' detention in Dubai When Foreign Minister, Dominic Raab, was asked by Baroness Whitaker to involve himself in resolving a human rights case, he replied “we have the ability to raise human rights issues privately and publicly and have significant influence”. The Baroness then sought to confirm whether he would do so but as is typical, she received no reply. There is a culture within the FCDO to dismiss, ignore and sideline British requests for assistance, even where serious human rights violations are involved. “It is as though they are working against you, almost like they are working for the other side”, a sorrowful but consistent complaint from British nationals who have experienced the department’s delinquency first hand. “Whatever the Foreign Office tells you to do, do the exact opposite” and “I’m sorry I ever followed their advice”, are all too common statements amongst victims of the FCDO’s failed policy. The FCDO culture at the caseworker level is extremely frustrating. Numerous complaints have been made to the department but no action has been taken to improve, re-train or reprioritise. Both Albert Douglas and Billy Hood’s families have made complaints against the FCDO’s UK case officer, Rahat Ahmed, who they feel has continued to thwart efforts to bring their loved ones home. When Laleh Shahravesh returned from the UAE after being arrested over a Facebook post, she told Good Morning Britain “the FCDO did absolutely nothing” and if she had taken their advice, she would “still be there”. Former Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt told reporters “we owe an explanation” to Nazanin Zathari-Ratcliffe over her lengthy detention in Iran. He went so far as to say the “ UK’s starting to look weak over failure to protect citizens ”. 'Foreign Office Fails Brits Detained Abroad' Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe latest to criticise FCDO He added: “We must show the world that if you imprison a British citizen on trumped up charges you will pay a very heavy price because Britain is a major player on the world stage and intends to remain one. Allowing ourselves to be pushed around like this at the moment of post Brexit renewal sends the opposite signal.” Hunt was reportedly angered by the FCDO’s insistence that they have no statutory duty to provide consular assistance to Brits unfairly detained abroad. The FCDO claimed they work “tirelessly to support British citizens around the world” but unless they mean passport services, nothing could be farther from the truth. Hunt understood the complexities in dealing with Iran but there is no excuse for the FCDO’s abysmal effort to secure the release of British citizens wrongfully detained in allied Gulf nations like the UAE. A Parliamentary debate was held in December last year which saw MP’s tabling the issue of FCDO support, expressing concerns that there is no legal obligation to provide support and requesting assurances that the British government is doing “everything in its power” to bring tortured grandfather Albert Douglas and young footballer, Billy Hood, home. An investigation the abuse of Albert Douglas was later undertaken with Dubai’s medical board finding that he had suffered serious injuries as a result of being beaten by prison guards. The 60 year old frail grandfather has been living with broken bones for over a year in prison and still requires multiple surgeries. He was originally jailed for a bounced cheque that a forensic investigation later ruled was not even his. He has essentially been held as an economic hostage to pressure and extort funds while his locally held assets have been looted. Billy Hood BEATEN by UAE prison guards during Prince William “official” visit The FCDO is not taking human rights abuses seriously enough, especially when there is a Coroner’s Court Inquiry into the death of young Lee Bradley Brown who died in custody as a result of police brutality. It is the very fact that Britain did not push authorities enough after his death, that the UAE feels emboldened to continue abusing citizens. Jeremy Hunt suggested sanctions against the UAE when Matthew Hedges was detained and tortured after he was accused of being a spy. Baroness Whitaker and Andy Slaughter, MP recently suggested sanctions and increased travel warnings to the UAE but the FCDO prioritised economics over human rights. In doing so, the UK once again diminished their power and influence in the region. UAE authorities lie to the FCDO on a frequent basis. Albert Douglas complained on multiple occasions that he had not received his heart medication. When the UK asked their Emirati counterparts, they were simply told “yes yes, he has it” and the UK would take that at face value, seemingly believing them over the protesting detainee. When the FCDO have been told a prisoner has been beaten or mistreated, they simply “raise a ticket” and do not insist on seeing the prisoner. The FCDO was told on multiple occasions that they could not see Billy Hood after he complained he had been beaten and had an unattended ear infection for months. Brit millionaire in Dubai jail ‘forced to drink from toilet' over bounced cheque Both Billy and Albert have been widely reported in the media, raised at Parliamentary debates and brought to the attention of Liz Truss, but their wrongful detentions have still not been resolved. It doesn’t help that we have MP’s sitting on UK-UAE business councils and significant Emirati influence into think tanks and media outlets, but all of this serves to highlight the need for services to British citizens to be reviewed and even compartmentalised. The conflicting interests of the FCDO are intolerable, put citizens at risk and diminish British influence abroad. Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http:///www.radhastirling.com Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KH20nw... Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/detainedindu... YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Email: info@detainedindubai.org

FCDO Responsibilities: Are Conflicting Goals Diminishing Efficacy?

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) with its 14,000 staff is tasked with promoting British interests abroad but the...

Read More
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is the latest Brit to criticise Foreign Office for their incompetency and dwindling diplomatic influence in the Middle East. Her criticism comes after a stream of Brits complained about their arbitrary detention abroad. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s 6-year detention highlights Britain’s diminished diplomatic influence Ms Ratcliffe said she did not agree she should be thanking the foreign secretary for her return after a long six years of detention in Iran’s notorious prison. This is the same sentiment that most Brits have shared upon their return home and it’s time the FCDO is held to account. The first thing most foreign nationals do when they experience problems abroad is to contact their embassies. It is fair to say that people expect their countries’ diplomats to swoop in and protect them with all the weight of their governments behind them, particularly citizens of Western democracies. The experience of British nationals in the UAE could not be further from this expectation. “You are actually on your own,” says Jamie Harron, a British citizen who was detained in the UAE 3 years ago after brushing past a man in a Dubai nightclub who later accused him of assault. When Harron contacted the British Embassy, he was told that they could not get involved in the case. Harron’s experience is representative. Nazanin continued “"But I was told many many times – 'we're going to get you home'. That never happened. So there was a time when I felt like, do you know what, I'm not even going to trust you because I've been told so many times that I'm going to be taken home. But that never happened!” British grandfather Albert Douglas is in exactly the same situation now. The UK has alleged that he is their “top diplomatic priority” and yet, despite forensics proving his innocent and despite the independent confirmation of his torture and abuse, he is still locked up in a Dubai prison. British grandfather left in tears over transfer prison where he was beaten Charles Ridley and Ryan Cornelius just had an additional 20 years put on their 10 year sentences in Dubai. His case along with Albert Douglas and Billy Hood, have been raised in Parliament but nothing significant has been done to secure their release. Dubai Prisoners Slam Foreign Office Radha Stirling , CEO of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International , who has helped free thousands of British nationals from wrongful detention in the UAE says that the FCDO is letting British citizens down. “Typically, consular staff just provide people with a list of local lawyers, visit inmates with inconsistent frequency, and help relay communication with their families,” Stirling explains, “There is no question that the FCDO has the power to intervene and resolve cases where injustice and abuse are obvious; as we saw in the Matthew Hedges case; but the fact is, the FCDO seldom gets involved .” “We have seen very positive engagement by other foreign governments in the past,” Stirling says, “ The Australian government , the Americans, even the Malaysian foreign minister actively intervened when a Malaysian businessman was wrongfully detained in Ras Al Khaimah to secure his release. But the FCDO is conspicuously passive and acquiescent to the UAE, and citizens deserve better.” Andy Slaughter, MP criticises FCDO & calls for UK government action on the Gulf in Justice Podcast with Radha Stirling Laleh Shahravesh, a Briton arrested in Dubai in 2019 over a Facebook post and prosecuted under the country’s oppressive Cybercrime laws , says she regrets having ever reached out to the British embassy. “They did absolutely nothing,” she recalls, even saying that consular staff’s advice was partly to blame for her being detained for 12 hours of questioning in a Dubai police station, “I wish to this day that I had not taken their advice.” Stirling’s organisation has long lobbied the FCDO to increase their travel warnings about the UAE so that British tourists are better informed of the risks they face in the country, “Even after the death in custody of Lee Bradley Brown 10 years ago , and countless British citizens who have been falsely accused, detained, tortured, and abused after having committed no crime; the FCDO is still telling people that the UAE is safe as long as you respect the laws and culture. They do not warn citizens that the legal system in the Emirates is systemically rigged against foreigners, that there is no evidentiary standard for prosecution, no due process, no respect for human rights, and that you can go to jail for literally no reason whatsoever if a local decides they dislike you,” Stirling explains. Analysts point to what they see as the shift in the balance of power between the UK and Gulf nations in recent years, with the UK increasingly concerned with trade deals and investment from the Gulf. The UAE is Britain’s leading trade partner in the MENA region, and pumps billions of pounds of investment into the UK every year. “Many of our cases involve media campaigns to highlight UAE injustice,” Stirling explains, “We bring attention to the uglier elements of the UAE government and legal system, and it appears the FCDO is as uncomfortable with that as is the UAE, and perhaps that is why they discourage people from contacting us. Ultimately, the British government has to ask itself if the economic ties between the two countries are more important than the safety of British citizens.” Tensions between the FCDO and the families of British citizens unjustly detained in the UAE, as well as growing public outrage over the abuses Britons have suffered in the Emirates is reaching a boiling point. Protests erupted over the continued detention of British citizen Albert Douglas, arrested over bounced cheques written by his son. Douglas has reportedly been tortured, beaten, and denied medication for both his injuries and a chronic heart condition. “Consular staff claim that Albert is being helped and has been given medicine,” Stirling says, “But Albert himself says otherwise. We are no longer living in a world where information can be kept secret; the government cannot say they are involved and assisting when they are not. This is not a matter of being better at PR or spin, the FCDO has to actually take action because we will all know when they don’t.” The case of Albert Douglas, and the unresponsiveness of the FCDO, has been brought up by Members of Parliament Baroness Whitaker and Andrew Slaughter along with Radha Stirling , who have also written to the UK-UAE Business Council over their concerns. “We are pressing for intervention for Albert Douglas, but beyond that,” Stirling explains, “We need to see the Foreign Office take a stand for all British citizens in the UAE; to no longer abandon them when they get unjustly swept up in the UAE legal system, and to adequately warn them of the dangers before they travel to Dubai. We need to see accountability, and we need Britons to be genuinely protected. Gulf investment in the UK should not act as a pay off whereby those countries have a licence to abuse our citizens who land on their shores.” Billy Hood - what will the British FCDO do to help the footballer sentenced to 25 years for CBD oil? Young footballer Billy Hood was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a visiting friend left CBD oil in his car when being driven to the airport. His brother Alex has found dealing with the FCDO horrendous and has followed Albert Douglas’ family in filing an official complaint against their liaison officer, Rahat Ahmed, who they have described as “difficult, negligent and dismissive”. Prisoner warns Billy Hood's family “Britain won’t help you” Nazinin’s experience with the FCDO confirms the need for the UK to invest in services to citizens and increase its diplomatic influence. Albert Douglas’ son Wolfgang has commended the UK government for supporting Ukraine but criticised them for ignoring British citizens at the same time. “The UK is enjoying the positive media coverage for their intervention in Ukraine while blatantly neglecting British citizens like my father, who has been brutally beaten and tortured. He has been left permanently disabled and is living in prison with broken bones. Why is Ambassador Moody focusing on Ukraine issues when his actual remit is to help British nationals in the UAE?” Detained in Dubai: http://www.detainedindubai.org Detained in Doha: https://www.detainedindoha.org Radha Stirling: http:///www.radhastirling.com Due Process International: http://www.dueprocess.international Podcast: http://www.gulfinjustice.news Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KH20nw... Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/detainedindubai Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/detainedindu... YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/detainedindubai Email: info@detainedindubai.org

'Foreign Office Fails Brits Detained Abroad' Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe latest to criticise FCDO

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is the latest Brit to criticise Foreign Office for their incompetency and dwindling diplomatic influence in the...

Read More
bottom of page