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Woman’s facing a chaotic Middle Eastern legal system says she has “no idea what is going on, what is coming next, and how long it could take”. A young woman’s plans to reunite with her family in England came to an abrupt halt, when police wouldn’t let her board a plane. She’d shipped all of her belongings home, after living in Dubai for two years, and was ready for her new life, before being told she couldn’t leave because of a rude WhatsApp message sent to her Ukrainian flatmate. Detained in Dubai CEO, Radha Stirling , who is representing the woman, issued a statement today: “This is a terrifying situation for anyone to face. She had to attend several different police stations, where staff have limited English and communication is difficult. Every officer seemed to have a different take on what would happen to her, how long it would take and if she’d be allowed to go. Most people find this experience traumatising. “The police confiscated her passport and her mobile phone to gather the evidence. The police took the woman’s statement which admitted the rude word, but they still feel the need to process her phone through their forensic department, a process in itself, that can take weeks or months. Nothing is clear and nothing is logical. If she’s admitted the crime in her statement, do they really need to drag her through a lengthy evidence gathering process? “When the UAE first published their Cybercrime Laws, we realised they were the single biggest risk to visitors to the country. The broadness in scope essentially criminalised everyone, and gave practically limitless sentencing discretion to judges. A private WhatsApp message to a friend, colleague, or ex partner can land you in jail. Even more unimaginable is the extraterritorial element. You do not even have to be in the UAE when you send the message. This is extremely dangerous for visitors to the country. “We have approached the British consular office for assistance, and the UAE’s Ambassador to Britain to investigate the matter. Without intervention, the woman is likely to spend months in the UAE, awaiting judgment which may or may not be a prison sentence. This is no way to treat visitors and expats in Dubai”. The human resources manager has been worried sick, her visa expires in a few days and she can’t believe anyone would use the law like that. In an emotional discussion with Radha Stirling today, crying, she said “This is like the nightmare all over again at the thought of losing my job. They cannot send a report until the forensics compiles the report of my phone (even though I said I said the word and did not deny it the prosecutor still needs that apparently) but no one seems to know when that report will be done. I call every day. I’ve told them I have no apartment and no job here and no money and that my visa expires 12 Feb - they just don’t understand. I’m banging my head against a brick wall. No one cares”. Detained in Dubai expects that without intervention, the young woman, who wishes to remain anonymous for now, will be dragged through the slow legal system. She no longer has an apartment, and will face difficulties with loss of employment, legal and accommodation fees. “The UAE’s Cybercrime Laws are a dangerous threat to foreigners” , added Ms Stirling. Laleh Shahravesh speaking after her release.

Women stuck in Dubai over WhatsApp "frightened to death"

Woman’s facing a chaotic Middle Eastern legal system says she has “no idea what is going on, what is coming next, and how long it could...

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A British human resources manager has been held in Dubai after her Ukrainian flatmate lodged a police complaint over a “rude” WhatsApp message sent over a petty household dispute arising from her flatmate’s intolerance to her use of the dining table to work from during lockdowns. The woman, a professional from south west England in her early thirties, had lived trouble free in Dubai since 2018, but had decided to return home permanently to be close to her family and start a new job. After shipping all of her belongings and securing herself a seat on one of the limited flights home, she was pulled aside by airport authorities and told she could not leave, that there was a police case against her. After being shuffled between police stations, she discovered that her flatmate had quite unbelievably, lodged a police complaint against her. “I would never have expected a European to take advantage of the UAE’s strict laws. We shared a flat and we were all casual with one another. I’ve never been in trouble in my life, and I’m shocked that I’ve been criminalised over a private WhatsApp exchange with someone whom I lived with. What’s worse, the messages were from months ago and only now, when I’ve shipped all of my belongings, booked a flight and when my visa is about to expire, do I even find out about this case. I tried to plead with her to drop the case, but she doesn’t seem to care about the impact this is having”, she told Detained in Dubai in a phone call today. Radha Stirling , CEO of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International , who is representing the woman, cautioned visitors to the Emirates in a statement issued today: “We are assisting a British woman who has been held in Dubai over a private WhatsApp message that included a single swear word said in the heat of a stressful, lockdown-induced household dispute. The UAE’s overreaching cybercrime laws have been responsible for numerous arrests of foreign nationals. Visitors to the UAE can be arrested, detained and prosecuted over a swear word, an offensive statement or derogatory comment said in the heat of the moment, and the UAE’s cybercrime laws are extraterritorial, meaning that the statement could have been made from outside of the UAE as it was in the case of Laleh Shahravesh. “Laleh Shahravesh was famously arrested for a facebook comment referring to her ex husband’s new partner as having a “horse face”, but she said this from the safety of England, years before she travelled to Dubai where she was arrested. The absurdity of these laws allows for husbands and wives, colleagues, friends, school kids, vindictive and spiteful individuals and provocateurs to hold jail cards over people they interact with, and they don’t even need to know them. Complete strangers are able to report social media comments they find offensive to the authorities and under the laws, they will be prosecuted, fined and even imprisoned. “Legal proceedings in Dubai are lengthy, and a frivolous case like this can take months to go through the local system, causing no end of suffering. With hotel accommodation, legal fees and visa overstay fines, an absurd allegation can quickly escalate into tens of thousands of pounds, loss of employment and in a worst case scenario, a prison sentence. The human toll is often unimaginable, especially when family members are separated. “British national Scott Richards was detained for several weeks for sharing a charitable post on his facebook page and only after an international media campaign, did the UAE authorities intervene in what was clearly a ridiculous application of the terribly drafted laws. “We hope the Emirati authorities specifically intervene in this case and the British consulate makes every effort to encourage a swift resolution with their diplomatic counterparts. Under the UAE’s Cybercrime Laws , almost anyone could be criminalised at any time. How is this an unacceptable situation for a country that continues to bid for our tourism and investment?” Radha Stirling founded Detained in Dubai 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, speakerand host of the Gulf in Justice Podcast , covering the region in depth.

Brit detained in Dubai over WhatsApp message

A British human resources manager has been held in Dubai after her Ukrainian flatmate lodged a police complaint over a “rude” WhatsApp...

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Former advisor to RAK ruler Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi and CEO of RAKIA and RAK Ceramics, Dr Khater Massaad, has been the target of a years-long campaign that has seen repeated legal abuses in an “anything goes” approach to politically motivated judicial relief. A Bangladesh court just ordered shares alleged to belong to Dr Massaad be transferred to RAKIA after UAE authorities provided them with judgments that had been fast tracked through Sheikh Saud’s personal courts. Saud had attempted to extradite Dr Massaad from Saudi Arabia, but failed due to a lack of evidence. The ruler then withdrew civil claims from Saudi Arabia and immediately returned to his own personal courts where judgments against Dr Massaad could be guaranteed and immediately forwarded to Bangladesh with a diplomatic request for cooperation. Bangladesh courts automatically ordered in favour of the UAE with the Attorney General confirming Bangladesh responded to a “friendly nation’s request” and they “hope their friends across the world would do the same”. This was the first Dr Massaad had heard of the in-absentia court proceedings. He is now appealing the decision. “Ras al Khaimah has several times reported me to Interpol, but the notices have been removed, again and again” , said Dr Massaad who has been fighting off frivolous claims for years. “They have tried to extradite me, but have failed. Their cases against me in Saudi Arabia have been dismissed. I am not on the run. I am not a fugitive. I have not committed any crime. The failed Interpol notices, the failed extradition requests, the failed civil cases have failed due to their merits. The simple fact is, there is no genuine evidence that I have committed crimes, because I have not. The only place where Sheikh Saud can get a guilty verdict is in his own personal courtroom. This is a politically motivated, greedy vendetta that is a disgrace to the UAE as a whole. Sheikh Saud is violating UAE law and doing a great disservice to the country. This latest Bangladesh case is a farce and an example of the Sheikh “jurisdiction shopping”, trying to circumvent the law and further his agenda by deceiving the UAE’s ally”. Radha Stirling , CEO of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International , is appearing as an expert witness in the case. Stirling commented “I have been dealing with massive corruption coming out of the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah for years. Khater Massaad is one of several individuals targeted by the tyrant ruler, who embarked on a “purge” of foreign workers he considered a potential threat to his rule and who he thought may sympathise with his rival brother. He locked up those he could, and pursued the others relentlessly through Interpol and further attempts to enforce his own unevidenced legal judgments internationally. “The Bangladeshi courts have been provided with phony judgments issued by the ruler’s court where Sheikh Saud has complete autonomy, based on the same phony evidence that Interpol and the Saudi Arabian courts have already thrown out. Most concerningly, the evidence bundle submitted by Ras Al Khaimah includes the forced confession of Jordanian lawyer Karam al Sadeq who is currently held by Sheikh Saud in prison. Sadeq has taken legal action for his unlawful detention and torture that led to his forced confession, the same confession being used as irrefutable evidence of Dr Massaad’s guilt in Dhaka. Most international courts have recognised that corruption is rife in Ras al Khaimah, and have refused to enforce judgments from the Emirate. It is important Bangladesh understands that judgments provided by Ras Al Khaimah can not be taken at face value and any automatic enforcement of those judgments is extrajudicial abuse. Sheikh Saud has no case that can survive any legal system that scrutinises evidence and that’s why he withdrew from Saudi, while avoiding Switzerland. He is jurisdiction shopping for a favour from Bangladesh, not due process”. The United Kingdom and United States will not accept Ras Al Khaimah judgments for international enforcement. Right now though, there are several cases in the UK and US against Sheikh Saud and his agents for corruption, wrongful arrests, human rights violations and torture. “Investors and companies in Bangladesh need to know their assets will be safe from foreign dictators and their kangaroo courts” , added Ms Stirling. “Abu Dhabi has been encouraged to rein in Sheikh Saud’s reckless lawlessness, while Swiss and foreign investors have been warned against investment in the UAE”. Radha Stirling founded Detained in Dubai 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, speakerand host of the Gulf in Justice Podcast , covering the region in depth.

UAE “asks” Bangladesh to freeze assets of RAKIA CEO Khater Massaad

Former advisor to RAK ruler Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi and CEO of RAKIA and RAK Ceramics, Dr Khater Massaad, has been the target of a...

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Free speech organisation Skyline, talks with Radha Stirling on censorship, cybercrime laws, big tech and governmental attacks on human rights organisations and oppositional voices. Radha Stirling founded Detained in Dubai 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 the region in depth.

Daniel Rivera of Skyline International Free Speech organisation, live with Radha Stirling

Free speech organisation Skyline, talks with Radha Stirling on censorship, cybercrime laws, big tech and governmental attacks on human...

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Stirling has contacted the UAE ambassador to Switzerland, the Swiss ambassador to UAE, the Swiss-UAE business council, and the Swiss Foreign Office, as well as multiple global investment groups, warning that Ras Al Khaimah cannot be considered a stable destination for business. The Swiss government is being asked to increase travel warnings against the UAE, and investors are being discouraged from doing business specifically in Ras Al Khaimah by prominent rights group Detained in Dubai. “The slogan for Ras Al Khaimah should be, ‘Invest in RAK, where no good deed goes unpunished;” says CEO Radha Stirling about the small northernmost emirate in the UAE, “Nothing makes this point better than the case of Swiss national Khater Massaad.” Stirling, the founder of Detained in Dubai and head of Due Process International , is referring to the ongoing legal persecution of Khater Massaad, the original CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA) who put RAK on the map for international investors. “When Massaad began building RAKIA for Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qassimi, there was only one highly successful company in the emirate, and it was his,” She explained, “Through his connections with the World Bank, global finance, and the international investment community; Massaad quickly developed RAKIA into one of the most prosperous hubs for foreign capital in the region. Roughly a decade after being pushed out of his position by Sheikh Saud, he finds himself the victim of a paranoid political vendetta.” Stirling has contacted the UAE ambassador to Switzerland, the Swiss ambassador to UAE, the Swiss-UAE business council, and the Swiss Foreign Office, as well as multiple global investment groups, warning that Ras Al Khaimah cannot be considered a stable destination for business. “It is irresponsible to encourage Swiss businesspeople to bring their capital to RAK with the emirate’s appalling track record of abuse,” she said. The risks of investing in RAK, Stirling explained, trace back to the beginning of the current government. After taking over the emirate in 2010, Sheikh Saud engaged in purge of everyone he suspected of being affiliated with his brother Sheikh Faisal, whom he had snubbed as crown prince in favour of his own son. He was also challenged by another brother, Khalid, who had earlier been slotted to assume the throne after their father’s death. “In this purge,” Stirling said, “Saud unwisely eliminated all the key players who had made RAK a successful investment destination, including Khater Massaad. In order to justify all of this, Saud fabricated civil and criminal charges against those whom he purged. Whoever he was able to arrest, like Karam Al Sadeq, Jihad Quzmar, and Johnson George; he allegedly had them tortured, threatened, and intimidated into making ‘confessions’ and false testimony against Faisal, Massaad, and others. Those fortunate enough to be out of the country, like Massaad and Oussama El Omari, former CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone Authority (RAKFTZA); Saud had them listed on Interpol and pursued them in other jurisdictions.” Khater Massaad was arrested in Saudi Arabia in 2016 on an RAK warrant for 5 separate cases, all of which were summarily rejected by the courts due to lack of evidence. “The truth is,” Stirling says, “The UAE failed to even argue the cases in court when the judge demanded substantiation. Clearly, Saud believed that Saudi Arabia would extradite with no questions asked, as a courtesy to another GCC country; but Massaad is a Swiss citizen and not eligible for expedited deportation. When called upon to prove their allegations in court, RAK had nothing to say.” Sheikh Saud then launched the cases again in Ras Al Khaimah, where the judicial outcome was under his control. As a result, Massaad’s assets have been frozen and his current investment projects in Bangladesh have been halted. Stirling explained that the Massaad case is not the only example of serious legal wrongdoing by the RAK regime, “This case is particularly stark simply because Khater Massaad is the man who quite literally transformed RAK from a poor backwater into a profitable investment hub. He was never paid for his work with RAKIA, but made Sheikh Saud billions of dollars in revenues, yet he is being relentlessly pursued a decade later without cause. But, his case is by no means the worst coming out of RAK. Karam Al Sadeq and Jihad Quzmar have brought lawsuits against the regime for gross human rights violations, Reda Abulahdid, a French national, had his life and business ruined by corrupt customs officials when he refused to surrender a share of his profits as a bribe; and Oussama El Omari is suing Sheikh Saud in the United States for an ongoing campaign of intimidation and defamation.” The UAE has faced increasing international scrutiny in recent years following a number of high profile scandals. Radha Stirling represented Princess Latifa, the daughter of Dubai’s Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who tried to escape the Emirates, only to be recaptured in an armed raid at sea. Sheikh Mohammed’s wife escaped soon after, with messy divorce and child custody battles playing out in English courts. Sheikh Saud himself was charged with sexual assault in the US before fleeing home to RAK to avoid trial. “Sheikh Saud runs Ras Al Khaimah like a stereotypical banana republic. It is the most despotic emirate in the UAE; there is no rule of law, the courts are not independent, foreigners have no protections, and investment from abroad is regarded as a contribution. We are raising the alarm to the international investment community to avoid RAK at all costs. The best case scenario is bankruptcy, and the worst case scenario is bankruptcy plus torture and life in prison.”

Swiss government & business councils advised to issue new UAE warnings to citizens

Stirling has contacted the UAE ambassador to Switzerland, the Swiss ambassador to UAE, the Swiss-UAE business council, and the Swiss...

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Dr Khater Massaad, former CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority speaks out. Dr Massaad suggests that Abu Dhabi needs to restore investor confidence in the UAE, by addressing rogue ruler Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al Qassimi. #UAEInvestmentWarning #UAE #AbuDhabi #RAK #RAKIA #RasAlKhaimah #SheikhSaud #KhaterMassaad #RadhaStirling #DetainedinDubai #Dubai #RAKFTZA #GulfinJustice #Podcast Radha Stirling founded Detained in Dubai 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, founder of Due Process International speaker and host of the Gulf in Justice Podcast , covering the region in depth.

Abu Dhabi needs to do something about Ras Al Khaimah - RAKIA CEO Dr Khater Massaad

Dr Khater Massaad, former CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority speaks out. Dr Massaad suggests that Abu Dhabi needs to restore...

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The small northern emirate of Ras Al Khaimah is aggressively soliciting foreign investment, but eager Israeli investors should be wary. The government of RAK, under Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al Qassimi has been waging a relentless campaign against everyone who put the tiny emirate on the investment map. At a time when Israeli business people are exploring opportunities opened in the UAE by the Abraham Accords, RAK’s growing brushfire of litigation internationally is sending a strong signal that they do not want foreign business. Khater Massaad, the one-time “Golden Boy of the Northern Emirates”, the architect of Ras Al Khaimah’s Free Trade Zone and Investment Authority, has been pursued for years by Sheikh Saud in a paranoid campaign of lawsuits and disinformation. Claiming that Massaad, who secured billions of dollars in investment for the backwater emirate of RAK, had embezzled funds and mismanaged the Investment Authority, all because Saud suspected Massaad of sympathising with Saud’s brother, Sheikh Khalid, who was challenging him for the throne. RAK brought cases against Massaad in Saudi Arabia after he left the UAE, only to later admit in court that they had no evidence against him. The cases were dismissed, but Saud launched them again in his own courts in RAK where he could control the outcome. As a result, Khater Massaad’s assets have been frozen, and his current investment projects in Bangladesh have been halted as courts in Dhaka adjudicate the claims. Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, commented, “Khater Massaad’s projects in Bangladesh have no connection whatsoever with Ras Al Khaimah, it is outrageous that Sheikh Saud is allowed to continue interfering with businesses around the world simply because an investor once worked for him. His claims have already been thrown out by an impartial court, and the judgment of RAK courts, which Saud directly controls, cannot be taken seriously. We have seen thoroughly corrupt decisions by Sheikh Saud’s judges time and time again, particularly against the executive staff of the Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone Authority (RAKFTZA) and the Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA), stemming from his political purge of those bodies during his effort to consolidate power after seizing the throne. Israeli investors would be wise to steer clear of RAK unless and until Abu Dhabi reins in Sheikh Saud; it is simply too unsafe and unstable” The volatility of Sheikh Saud’s regime stems partially from the ongoing conflict between the ruler and his brother Sheikh Khalid over who was the rightful heir to the throne. “Israelis need to be aware that Saud suspects Israel sided with Khalid in this dispute, since the then Israeli Ambassador in London reportedly met Sheikh Khalid back in 2010 to discuss supporting his bid for the crown,” Stirling said, “Given the spitefulness of the regime, Israeli investors might well be targeted.” Saud’s heavy-handed tactics have led to multiple lawsuits against him in the United States and Great Britain, where his regime is accused of torture, unlawful detention, and severe human rights violations. “Former employees of RAKIA and RAKFTZA are either in prison or under arrest warrants, their families have been threatened, they have been beaten, intimidated, and forced to make false confessions and testimony to wrongfully incriminate their superiors, essentially to cover up the misappropriation of funds and poor investment decisions by Sheikh Saud himself, and his son” Stirling explained. “The corruption has spun a web from New York to Tbilisi, from Washington D.C. to India, and now to Bangladesh. "Major international law firms like Dechert have found themselves implicated in grave abuses; there have been allegations of hacking, espionage, and questionable political lobbying and bribery. The UAE is already a treacherous climate for foreign investors, particularly from Israel, but RAK is off the charts .” American law firm Dechert is currently embroiled in litigation in the High Court of England over the involvement of three former employees, Neil Gerrard, David Hughes and Caroline Black, in the interrogations of Karam Al Sadeq and Jihad Kuzmar on behalf of Sheikh Saud in which both men were allegedly tortured. The two men claim that they were threatened with life imprisonment if they did not corroborate false accusations against Khater Massaad and Sheikh Faisal, Saud’s other brother who was RAK’s former de facto finance minister. Both Al Sadeq and Kuzmar remain in RAK detention. “Israeli investors need to know that RAK is not a safe destination for their capital,” Stirling cautioned, “We have cases that have nothing to do with Sheikh Saud’s political persecution of his business rivals. For example, Reda Boulahdid , a private businessman who was preyed upon by corrupt Customs officials who demanded a percentage of his revenues. His wife was abducted by authorities, his home ransacked, his property confiscated, and ultimately, his company destroyed because he refused to capitulate. From the top-down, RAK is rife with corruption and foreign investment is treated like a donation. Everything the UAE is trying to do to promote itself as a business-friendly hub for foreign capital is being sabotaged by the out-of-control behaviour of Ras Al Khaimah. The only way this gets resolved is for Abu Dhabi to step in and make Sheikh Saud get with the program; otherwise his renegade emirate will eventually destroy the UAE brand globally.” Radha Stirling founded Detained in Dubai 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 the region in depth.

Before Israelis invest in RAK, Abu Dhabi must rein in Sheikh Saud

The small northern emirate of Ras Al Khaimah is aggressively soliciting foreign investment, but eager Israeli investors should be wary....

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Summary: A years-long campaign to slander and jail former RAK investment head Khater Massaad and persecution of RAKIA & RAKFTZA staff chill investor confidence in the emirate: Stirling A current case against Khater Massaad by Ras Al Khaimah being tried in Bangladesh is causing global investors to think twice about the small northern state in the UAE. The government of Ras Al Khaimah, under Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al Qassimi has been waging a relentless campaign against everyone who put the tiny emirate on the map. Khater Massaad, the one-time “Golden Boy of the Northern Emirates”, the architect of Ras Al Khaimah’s Free Trade Zone and Investment Authority, has been pursued for years by Sheikh Saud in a paranoid campaign of lawsuits and disinformation. Claiming that Massaad, who secured billions of dollars in investment for the backwater emirate of RAK, had embezzled funds and mismanaged the Investment Authority, all because Saud suspected Massaad of sympathising with Saud’s brother, Sheikh Khalid, who was challenging him for the throne. RAK brought cases against Massaad in Saudi Arabia after he left the UAE, only to later admit in court that they had no evidence against him. The cases were dismissed, but Saud launched them again in his own courts in RAK where he could control the outcome. As a result, Khater Massaad’s assets have been frozen, and his current investment projects in Bangladesh have been halted as courts in Dhaka adjudicate the claims. “We have heard from dozens of investors who are deeply disturbed by Sheikh Saud’s behaviour,” says Radha Stirling , founder of Gulf Investment Monitor and CEO of Detained in Dubai . “Khater Massaad’s projects in Bangladesh have no connection whatsoever with Ras Al Khaimah, and global venture capitalists find it outrageous that Sheikh Saud is allowed to continue interfering with businesses around the world simply because an investor once worked for him. It appears that the RAK ruler believes anyone who created profitable projects inside the emirate should not be permitted to prosper outside the emirate, and that they do not even have a claim on any money their RAK projects may have earned.” Stirling, whose organisation, the Gulf Investment Monitor , provides risk assessment and guidance for foreign investors in the GCC, has issued an alert to the international investing community to avoid Ras Al Khaimah at all costs. “Since Sheikh Saud’s seizure of power 10 years ago, and his purge of the emirate’s investment bodies, not only has there been grave mismanagement of funds, multiple breaches of contractual agreements with global partners, and increasing instability of Saud’s regime; his vindictive and volatile behaviour has led to a growing brushfire of lawsuits and counter-suits around the world the cumulative effect of which has been to form an impression that Ras Al Khaimah is a despotic and dangerous destination for global capital.” Subscribe to the Gulf Investment Monitor to receive regular updates and analysis

Vendettas by RAK ruler alarm foreign investors

Summary: A years-long campaign to slander and jail former RAK investment head Khater Massaad and persecution of RAKIA & RAKFTZA staff...

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Thirteen years ago, Radha Stirling for the first time, navigated Dubai’s complex and foreign legal system to secure the release of her friend and colleague, Cat Le-Huy, who had been held on fabricated and baseless charges. Since then, Stirling’s organisation “Detained in Dubai”, has helped more than fifteen thousand individuals. CEO, Radha Stirling commented on the occasion “Every day has been so busy for the past 13 years, with new challenges, new emergencies, new accomplishments on a daily basis; in many ways I can’t believe it has been this long. The thousands of clients, their families and their loved ones whom we have been able to assist over the years always remain present in our minds, as a source of inspiration every time the Gulf presents us with another case of injustice to resolve. While we have been instrumental in moving the UAE forward with incremental reforms, and promoting change in the region, we are constantly confronted with fresh outrages that we cannot ignore. As our experience in the region broadened, so did the scope of our work. We've been involved in everything from the rescue of Princess Latifa to advising legislatures, think tanks and business and financial organisations.. We launched new initiatives and projects like the Gulf in Justice Podcast, Interpol & Extradition Reform and the Gulf Investment Monitor, to address issues more comprehensively and effectively. We regularly liaise with diplomatic officials, politicians, the United Nations, Interpol, journalists and international human rights, trade, and legal institutions and policymakers on behalf of clients and to pursue improvements in the region. “I want to express my supreme gratitude for the support and energy of everyone who has responded to our efforts with empathy and encouragement. It means the world to us, and it means the world to the victims of Gulf abuse who we represent. The public has never let us down in a campaign to free a client, in many ways, the success of Detained in Dubai is a popular victory against wrongful detention and mistreatment of foreigners in the Gulf. We could not do what we do without all of you, thank you for 13 years of support!” Radha Stirling founded Detained in Dubai 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 the region in depth.

Detained in Dubai's 13th Anniversary

Thirteen years ago, Radha Stirling for the first time, navigated Dubai’s complex and foreign legal system to secure the release of her...

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Described as the “golden boy of business in the Northern Emirates”, “the tile tycoon of RAK”, Gulf Business coverboy and multi award winning Dr Khater Massaad, has been targeted by Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al Qassimi whose power has gone unchecked by Abu Dhabi. In his rise to power, Sheikh Saud felt insecure and threatened by his rival brother, Sheikh Khalid. He desperately needed to prove himself to his subjects, embarking on expansive developments in the Emirate and further abroad, recruiting assistance from experienced businessmen like Dr Massaad, who helped Saud develop RAK Ceramics, RAKIA, Al Hamra Village and RAKEEN and making the Emirate billions of dollars. Khater Massaad was not paid for his work in generation, literally billions of dollars for Sheikh Saud, but owned a small share in RAK ceramics which he eventually sold. Saud’s nature is reckless, “he doesn’t feel laws apply to him and nor does he believe in consequences or even basic morality” , said Radha Stirling, Expert Witness and CEO of Detained in Dubai. “When visiting America, the Sheikh was arrested and detained for sexually assaulting a hotel maid. What did he do? He claimed diplomatic immunity! After failing to obtain immunity, he begged his friends for help bail him out and get him on the next flight back to the UAE.” Sheikh Saud avoids travel to the US now. Saud’s overzealous dreams of investing overseas, left him open to criticism in his Emirate. He felt he needed to pacify his critics and invest back home, so prematurely pulled out of his investments while in the midst of unfinished developments. Never a smart investment move. To compensate him for any losses, the ruler unleashed hell on those who helped him, seeking to blame them for his financial mishaps. Unchecked by Abu Dhabi, unbridled and with no fear of repercussions, Sheikh Saud’s conniving plan was actioned. Saud levied false allegations against foreign nationals who had helped him, worked for him, been at his beck and call for years, people who had made him rich, lawyers, accountants and advisors He froze their assets, seized their funds and jailed them. Those outside of the country were harder for him but he would find a way to get hold of their funds. He was on a rampage, drunk with power. He was insecure, his legitimacy questioned by his brother’s loyalists, resulting in his extreme recklessness. He sought to recover funds by using his law courts to issue judgments in his favour, having complete autonomy over the legal system, with judges appointed and paid directly by him. Once a conviction in absentia was issued, Saud instantly reported it to Interpol. He had several victims detained abroad, one was held for nearly a year before finally being released, after refusing to succumb to intense pressure to confess to crimes he hadn't committed. Khater Massaad was reported to Interpol again and again. Every time Interpol acknowledged it was a wrongfully issued red notice and cancel it, Saud would issue a fresh one with new paperwork. Sheikh Saud has jailed innocent staff members, including Indian national Johnson George, as well as Jihad Quzmar and Karam Al Sadeq. Jihad and Karam have both taken legal action in the United Kingdom for human rights violations, forced confessions and torture. Khater Massaad has been fighting off Interpol notices, extradition requests and civil cases from the UAE for years. He was arrested and detained in Saudi Arabia who found no crimes had been committed and denied the extradition. The UAE did not have a case and could not win in the civil courts in KSA due to having no genuine supportive evidence. They withdrew the case, apologised to Saudi authorities and then took the very same case back to the local courts in Ras Al Khaimah to secure a legal judgment there, in absentia of course. The UAE then, seemingly, and considering the massive investments in Bangladesh recently, agreed a quid pro quo deal with Bangladesh’s government to freeze assets that were thought to have been funded by Dr Massaad. “Dr Massaad found out about a Bangladeshi legal judgment after seeing a press release from the government, praising their intensified cooperation with the UAE. Too often have we seen the UAE seek political cooperation with foreign countries where legal cases are decided by politics. Princess Latifa was forcibly and unlawfully kidnapped by Indian forces at the request of Sheikh Mohammed who then ordered several extraditions to India in return. Legal ‘deals’ that rely on the UAE being honest and their court judgments being genuine are a serious danger and an abuse of countries who feel they are doing the right thing in cooperating against criminals. The problem is, they are not criminals and without due process, any country who cooperates with the UAE, is rendering themselves unviable for investment” , added Stirling. In documents covertly filed in Bangladesh, the UAE evidence relied upon a forced confession from Jordanian lawyer Karam Al Sadeq. Al Sadeq, still unfairly detained in a RAK prison, filed a claim in the High Court of England that he had subjected to major human rights violations and torture, resulting in forced confessions. Al Sadeq has also prepared a United Nations claim for his “lengthy and unfair detention”. “Relying on a forced confession to secure funds that do not belong to the Sheikh and that have been procured by torture, is astonishing to say the least. If Bangladesh awards any of the funds Saud seeks to claim, they will be giving the green light to the UAE that they support human rights violations and torture. This decision has far reaching implications and the Bangladeshi government can not turn a blind eye to the multiple legal claims against Sheikh Saud and his personal justice system”. Dr Massaad has suffered years of targeted abuse from the RAK ruler, including the same smear campaigns that RAK victim Oussama El Omari suffered. Just last month, El Omari won a New York judgment over the smear and defamation campaign launched upon him by the belligerent ruler. Dr Massaad has finally had enough. “Abu Dhabi can not allow Ras Al Khaimah to act in a way that reflects badly on the Emirates as a whole. This is a black and white case. I have committed no wrongdoing but the Sheikh is on a personal vendetta, and is acting against the laws of the UAE. Sheikh Saud is embarrassing Abu Dhabi and it is having an effect on investment. Every law that RAK violates, every Interpol notice issued, every attempt to steal foreign assets, is being covered in the foreign courts and media. It’s not healthy for the country”. Stirling added, “Abu Dhabi needs to pull the reins in on this one. They have just signed the Abraham Accord, are seeking Israeli and foreign investment and increasing efforts to stimulate the economy. We have formed an independent council called “Gulf Investment Monitor’, with experienced board members, which provides members with risk information in the region as well as hosting a working group and regular conferences. Certainly, one of the first topics for this group will be pertaining to the UAE’s aggressive seizure of foreign assets via local kangaroo courts. We certainly urge Abu Dhabi to end Sheikh Saud’s reckless and extrajudicial actions. He is only digging a deeper hole”. Dr Khater Massaad is preparing a defence to the government of Ras Al Khaimah’s freezing order against assets held in Bangladesh, most of which he has no ownership or shareholding in. The court will resume on the 4th of February. Stirling is to provide expert testimony. Radha Stirling founded Detained in Dubai 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, speakerand host of the Gulf in Justice Podcast , covering the region in depth.

Khater Massaad warns investors: Sheikh uses 'forced confessions' to seize assets abroad

Described as the “golden boy of business in the Northern Emirates”, “the tile tycoon of RAK”, Gulf Business coverboy and multi award...

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Lawless Sheikh's unbridled acts against foreign nationals seriously undermining Abu Dhabi's efforts to recover economy - Swiss businessman Dr Khater Massaad has had enough. Khater Massaad, Oussama El Omari , Jihad Kuzmar , Karam Al Sadeq , Johnson George ; these men built RAK as an investment hub, and the ruler will never forgive them for it. The government of Ras Al Khaimah, under Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al Qassimi has been waging a relentless campaign against everyone who put the tiny emirate on the map. At a time when economies around the world are contracting and investors are already hesitant to risk their capital in shaky markets, RAK’s growing brushfire of litigation internationally is sending a strong signal that they do not want foreign business. The question is: how long before Sheikh Saud’s problems become the UAE’s problems, and what is Abu Dhabi going to do about it? Khater Massaad, the one-time “Golden Boy of the Northern Emirates”, the architect of Ras Al Khaimah’s Free Trade Zone and Investment Authority, has been pursued for years by Sheikh Saud in a paranoid campaign of lawsuits and disinformation. Claiming that Massaad, who secured billions of dollars in investment for the backwater emirate of RAK, had embezzled funds and mismanaged the Investment Authority, all because Saud suspected Massaad of sympathising with Saud’s brother, Sheikh Khalid, who was challenging him for the throne. RAK brought cases against Massaad in Saudi Arabia after he left the UAE, only to later admit in court that they had no evidence against him. The cases were dismissed, but Saud launched them again in his own courts in RAK where he could control the outcome. As a result, Khater Massaad’s assets have been frozen, and his current investment projects in Bangladesh have been halted as courts in Dhaka adjudicate the claims. Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, commented, “Khater Massaad’s projects in Bangladesh have no connection whatsoever with Ras Al Khaimah, it is outrageous that Sheikh Saud is allowed to continue interfering with businesses around the world simply because an investor once worked for him. His claims have already been thrown out by an impartial court, and the judgment of RAK courts, which Saud directly controls, cannot be taken seriously. We have seen thoroughly corrupt decisions by Sheikh Saud’s judges time and time again, particularly against the executive staff of the Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone Authority (RAKFTZA) and the Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA), stemming from his political purge of those bodies during his effort to consolidate power after seizing the throne.” Saud’s heavy-handed tactics have led to multiple lawsuits against him in the United States and Great Britain, where his regime is accused of torture, unlawful detention, and severe human rights violations. “Former employees of RAKIA and RAKFTZA are either in prison or under arrest warrants, their families have been threatened, they have been beaten, intimidated, and forced to make false confessions and testimony to wrongfully incriminate their superiors, essentially to cover up the misappropriation of funds and poor investment decisions by Sheikh Saud himself, and his son” Stirling explained. “The corruption has spun a web from New York to Tbilisi, from Washington D.C. to India, and now to Bangladesh. Major international law firms like Dechert have found themselves implicated in grave abuses; there have been allegations of hacking, espionage, and questionable political lobbying and bribery. I honestly don’t know how much longer the federal government in Abu Dhabi can tolerate these scandals, because as foreign investors steer clear of Ras Al Khaimah as a result, the otherwise poor emirate will inevitably be looking for handouts from UAE Ruler Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed. But, unless Sheikh Saud is disciplined in some way, RAK has the potential to seriously undermine investor confidence in the country as a whole.” American law firm Dechert is currently embroiled in litigation in the High Court of England over the involvement of three former employees, Neil Gerrard, David Hughes and Caroline Black, in the interrogations of Karam Al Sadeq and Jihad Kuzmar on behalf of Sheikh Saud in which both men were allegedly tortured. The two men claim that they were threatened with life imprisonment if they did not corroborate false accusations against Khater Massaad and Sheikh Faisal, Saud’s other brother who was RAK’s former de facto finance minister. Both AL Sadeq and Kuzmar remain in RAK detention. Oussama El Omari was hired by Sheikh Faisal to run RAKFTZA in 2004, successfully attracting foreign investors throughout his tenure up until the royal power struggle began with the 2010 death of the ruler and Sheikh Saud’s seizure of control. Shortly thereafter, El Omari was fired by Saud, and subsequently accused of embezzlement and mismanagement, along with Khater Massaad. El Omari is currently suing Saud in the United States in a case that includes evidence of Saud’s use of PR agencies and paid journalists to slander his enemies, and his use of Interpol Red Notices to extort and blackmail anyone whom he cannot jail directly. “Investors need to know that RAK is not a safe destination for their capital,” Stirling cautioned, “We have cases that have nothing to do with Sheikh Saud’s political persecution of his business rivals. For example, Reda Boulahdid, a private businessman who was preyed upon by corrupt Customs officials who demanded a percentage of his revenues. His wife was abducted by authorities, his home ransacked, his property confiscated, and ultimately, his company destroyed because he refused to capitulate. From the top-down, RAK is rife with corruption and foreign investment is treated like a donation. Everything the UAE is trying to do to promote itself as a business-friendly hub for foreign capital is being sabotaged by the atrocious, out-of-control behaviour of Ras Al Khaimah. The only way this gets resolved is for Abu Dhabi to step in and make Sheikh Saud get with the program; otherwise his renegade emirate will eventually destroy the UAE brand globally.” Radha Stirling founded Detained in Dubai 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 the region in depth.

"Abu Dhabi needs to do something about Ras Al Khaimah"

Lawless Sheikh's unbridled acts against foreign nationals seriously undermining Abu Dhabi's efforts to recover economy - Swiss...

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New York District Court orders damages in claim against agents of “corrupt UAE ruler” who “targeted him due to his intricate knowledge of illicit oil trade with Iran, contraband trade and loss of billions of dollars of state funds”. The United Arab Emirates has been exploiting its friendship with the US for some years and is perhaps, even more emboldened with the latest Trump initiated peace deals. But the international courts are finally circling in on belligerent shenanigans and the especially rogue behaviour of UAE rulers. In this case, the spotlight is on Sheikh Saud Al Qsssimi, the ruler of the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, and his entourage of US based support operatives. Ambassador of the World Free Zone Convention and ex-CEO of RAKFTZA, US national Oussama El Omari sued a number of defendants in the New York District Court. El Omari was one of many victims of Sheikh Saud’s purge when he seized power in Ras Al Khaimah and has been targeted ever since. Listen to full Gulf in Justice Podcast Episode on Spotify: Mr El Omari, in his claim against James Buchanan, Dechert lawyers, Andrew D Frank, Karv Communications, Intelligence Online et al., said these parties have “crossed the line, acting as propaganda agents” to a “corrupt foreign dictator in the Middle East, Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi”. To gain power, “Sheikh Saud had to depose his half-brother Sheikh Khalid as legitimate Crown Prince and El Omari’s prior boss, Sheikh Faisal”, and embarked on a plan to discredit, target and jail those former employees of Sheikh Faisal that he considered a threat. El Omari names Andrew D. Frank (a/k/a Andrew D. Solomon) and Amir Ali Handjani of Karv Communications, a PR agency as a defendant and Intelligence Online, a France based Intelligence focussed publication, alongside US lawyers Dechert and partner Neil Gerrard, who are also being sued in the US and UK for their role in torture and human rights violations against other victims in RAK. Neil Gerrard stepped down from his partnership position at Dechert following English High Court claims launched this year. James Buchanan, who acted as a “white knight” for Sheikh Saud, was named in the suit. Outlined in the suit, is a consorted smear campaign against El Omari and his former employer, Sheikh Faisal, who remains a risk to Sheikh Saud’s tenuous rule. HH Sheikh Faisal Bin Saqr Al Qasimi “El Omari is not the only victim”, said Radha Stirling , founder of Detained in Dubai and an Expert Witness, who is representing Mr El Omari and a number of clients against the government of Ras Al Khaimah and its agents, “ Farhad Azima has taken his own legal actions, citing a multitude of serious and criminal offences against him, including hacking. Azima names Dechert, Neil Gerrard, Andrew Frank and Buchanan in his suit. Then we have both Karam Sadeq and Jihad Quzzma , who are victims of the purge and currently in jail in RAK, suing Dechert in the High Court of England for human rights violations and torture. Johnson George , who was part of the legal team at RAKFTZA, has also been kept as a political hostage in the Emirate while Dr Khater Massaad, Gela Mikadze and others, have fought against the lawless crackdown. What’s clear is that the list of victims has not even been tallied yet and many of them have confided in us, but not gone public yet. “Of great concern is the potential motive for their crusade against El Omari. Saud had sought to meet an Iranian group who had wanted to run Chinese funds through the Emirate and on to Iran in violation of US sanctions, amongst other irregular activities including human trafficking and smuggling. Mr Mohammed Moharizi, the government’s customs official, had been again, circumventing Iranian sanctions by handing operation of RAK’s port to an undercover Iranian government company. When brought to the attention of Abu Dhabi, an investigation was forced. Moharizi was sent to Australia to “study”, and a US company was employed to produce a fraudulent report blaming RAKFTZA and Sheikh Faisal for the illicit Iranian trade. “The production of fake reports and false expert testimony is commonplace in the UAE. In fact, I have two victims right now who are suing external Western companies for their expert reports that were manufactured for the Emirati elite. “El Omari was privy to Saud’s Iran dealings, and his $2billion spending spree that went pear shaped. Saud had to justify his losses so fabricated allegations of fraud, embezzlement and plundering ensued. A series of Interpol abuse cases, arrests at home and abroad, with sophisticated smear campaigns and distractional tactics ostensibly designed to scapegoat disposable foreign nationals. The ones who left, wound up on Interpol and those who stayed, were jailed. “RAK’s use of Western public relations and law firms has implicated several British and US companies in unlawful and rogue actions and, in El Omari’s case, KARV communications has chosen to side with a shady Middle Eastern ruler acting against an innocent US citizen. This brings the UAE’s fight to America’s jurisdiction where at least, victims stand a chance of achieving a fair hearing. “El Omari outlines how Saud instructed public relations agents used Intelligence Online to publish defamatory misinformation which would then be a tool to manipulate El Omari’s personal Wikipedia page. Intelligence online has been ordered to compensate Mr El Omari, an amount to be determined at an inquest. “The lawlessness of rogue Ras Al Khaimah doesn’t stop with Iran deals, slander, Interpol abuse, forced confessions, fabricated expert reports or even torture. In desperate attempts to contain the out of control web of deceit, spun by the erratic Sheikh, it seems the government thought it would be a top idea to add espionage to its list of offences against US and foreign citizens. “Anyone who is an opponent of RAK, is likely a target of traditional and digital espionage. I myself have been targeted by the Emirate for my ongoing advocacy in the region. Earlier this year, Mr El Omari was contacted by a spy who embarked on a sophisticated attempt to extract information under the pretence of being a journalist from Fox News. We are not the only ones. There are several lawsuits in play, including our own, against agents of Ras Al Khaimah for the unlawful hacking of myself, my colleagues and clients who are litigating against RAK and their agents. RAK has been using Indian, Israeli and other foreign agents to facilitate espionage against litigants and their associates. “We fully intend to take this issue to the US and UK governments. It is not acceptable that a strong ally of the United States is engaging in devious and unlawful acts against US citizens. We are talking about a foreign state, spying on victims of human rights a buses, their lawyers and human rights advocates. “What Mr El Omari and others have had to endure is exceptionable. This lawsuit represents the first in a series of victories against RAK’s tyranny, and will serve as a warning to ethically challenged PR, law and security firms, that they will be held to account for acts against citizens”. Inside Arabia Detained in Dubai: Stories of Injustice in the Gulf Part 5: Misprision of Justice Against American Businessman Oussama El Omari: Detained in Dubai: Stories of Injustice in the Gulf: Part V Read More Radha Stirling founded Detained in Dubai 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 the region in depth.

Man targeted by UAE Sheikh & his US agents because he “knew too much” - NY Court orders damages paid

New York District Court orders damages in claim against agents of “corrupt UAE ruler” who “targeted him due to his intricate knowledge of...

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