top of page

NEWS

Detained in Dubai calls on the UK government to intervene in outrageous abuse of young students facing prosecution after a run in with Dubai rental car company. “It’s on my terms.  It’s my country, I know what’s going on.  I know how this will pan out.  You will go to prison if you don’t pay” , are words that traumatise Canterbury Christchurch University students James Dua-Wiafe and Stanley Kundishora. James & Stanley’s family and friends relayed their story to Detained in Dubai in a desperate plea for help:  James, 21 and Stanley, 20 flew out to Dubai on the 31st of August 2020 to celebrate their joint birthdays with a group of friends.  What was supposed to be a dream holiday turned quickly into a nightmare when the boys rented a Range Rover from a local rental car agency.  After a long flight, the boys were excited to get into their rental car and head off to explore the Emirate. James, 21 and Stanley, 20 flew out to Dubai on the 31st of August 2020 to celebrate their joint birthdays with a group of friends.  What was supposed to be a dream holiday turned quickly into a nightmare when the boys rented a Range Rover from a local rental car agency.  After a long flight, the boys were excited to get into their rental car and head off to explore the Emirate. James viewed the terms, and gave his passport for copying but James’s passport was retained by the company along with a deposit bond of AED 5,000 (£1,000).  Unfortunately, the car suffered some damage to the wheel when it hit a low sign.  When the car was retrieved, the agency demanded AED 25,000 to cover the excess in return for the return of the passport. Although it didn’t seem right and the insurance should have covered the damage, the boys didn’t want to mess about as they were due to fly home the very next day.  The company then demanded another AED 35,000 then another 15,000. “People like you have no voice in this country” they were told, which they took to mean because they were black. “If you don’t pay, you will go to prison”.   Relying on family for support, the boys begrudgingly paid and expected the passport to be returned, but the demands didn’t stop. They attended the rental car office to request their passport back after having given £12,000 but the agents just kept talking amongst themselves in Arabic.  They placed the passport on a bench but did not hand it over.  James decided to take matters into his own hand.  It was illegal for them to hold onto it anyway and they were using it to extort him. He quickly grabbed his passport and headed towards the exit, but several men assailed him, one grabbing him from behind and putting him in a headlock while another reached for Stanley’s arm, hurting him.  James managed to free himself and left with Stanley and the passport. Next, the boys discovered a police complaint for assault had been taken against them.  They had not even raised their hands and the CCTV published by Detained in Dubai on YouTube would prove it.  Stanley and James pleaded with the police to just look at the CCTV .  It was Stanley and James who were assaulted, not the other way around.  To cancel the police case, AED150,000 was demanded (£30,000) accompanied by threats “It’s on my terms.  It’s my country, I know what’s going on.  I know how this will pan out.  You will go to prison if you don’t pay.” The boys had already paid an unexpected AED 60,000 (~ £12,000). Explaining that they came from a humble family and are only students did not help.  They would not budge.  The agency seemed to think they were football players, rich British kids with families who could surely come up with £30,000 cash on demand.  Little did they know, James’s mother is a carer and his father a train station operator.  Similarly, Stanley’s mother is a community nurse who also supports her late sister’s children in Zimbabwe.  They managed to appoint a lawyer who telephoned the agency who began asking them about their financial situation and if they were footballers.  At this point, James’s sister called the agency, pleading for their release.  She was told if they turned up with cash, he would drop the case. Radha Stirling , founder of Detained in Dubai who represents the families said in a statement “Both James and Stanley can not afford the never ending demands of the rental company.  They have been stuck in Dubai, missing out on studies and moving from hotel to hotel, costing over £600 per week.  Visiting Dubai has been the most expensive mistake of their lives, both financially and emotionally. “This situation is all too common.  We have dealt with a number of similar cases over the past decade of rental agencies extorting funds from desperate and unsuspecting tourists who just want to get home.  When faced with threats of imprisonment, tourists will hand over their life savings to predatory rental car agencies. “Dubai has spent millions of pounds marketing the city as a tourist hotspot to British nationals, full of exhilarating and luxurious experiences, but has failed to respond to calls to ensure visitors are protected from vexatious police cases, extortion and legal bullying. “It is an absolute disgrace that locals still see British tourists as easy prey.  Frivolous police cases are often registered against British nationals purely for extortive purposes.  Whether it’s accusing someone of raising the middle finger, swearing, offensive behaviour or in this case, a rental agency taking advantage of some young boys, Dubai is host to experienced locals who will exploit the city’s flexible and corrupt judiciary”. “Sadly, racism is prevalent throughout the UAE.  There is a clear racial hierarchy in the UAE with Emiratis at the top, followed by other gulf Arabs, then whites and lastly, Indians, Asians and Africans.  This prejudice is reflected throughout social circles as well as the police and judicial system where black people are less likely to receive fair treatment.  This is one of the reasons the United Kingdom has refused to extradite citizens to the UAE. “James and Stanley were told to expect up to a year and a half in Dubai prison.  It’s very saddening to see young people traumatised this way.  We are bringing this case to the attention of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed, to ask him to intervene and help James and Stanley get home” . In an emotional phone call, James said “You can’t treat each other like this. Money is nothing (over people).  You can’t hustle young people, it’s just morally wrong. “I don’t think I will ever want to come back.  It's just been really stressful, for my parents too.  I’ve never been in trouble with the police. “I know for a fact my mum hasn’t been coping at all.  She’s been calling me, crying on the phone, my dad’s been stressed out. “Everyone’s quite worried.  It’s just a thing where they can’t afford for me to stay here.  She’s a community nurse, every bit of money from her overtime, she’s basically been sending to me.  We have relatives in Zimbabwe too so she is supporting them as well.” Detained in Dubai  has taken on the case of James and Stanley and are calling on Sheikh Mohammed to intervene, as well as the British FCO. Radha Stirling discussed the case live on Facebook this morning.

“You will go to prison if you don’t pay” - Students face Dubai jail over rental car scam


“It’s on my terms.  It’s my country, I know what’s going on.  I know how this will pan out.  You will go to prison if you don’t pay”, are w

Read More
The London office of international law firm Dechert and its controversial former global co-head of white-collar crime, Neil Gerrard, have had a second High Court claim filed against them for allegedly abusing the human rights of another political prisoner detained in the UAE emirate of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK). Jihad Quzma, former legal advisor to Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, sues Dechert. The prisoner, Jihad Quzmar, is the former legal adviser to the ruler of RAK, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi. Sheikh Saud believed that Mr Quzmar, who had recently resigned his position as a member of the Supreme Judicial Council of RAK, was working with his brother, Sheikh Faisal, who had been the original heir to the throne, and who he believed to be planning to overthrow his rule. Sheikh Saud retained Dechert and Gerrard to conduct an investigation into alleged frauds committed by associates of Sheikh Faisal. These targets were rounded up and detained without charge or access to legal representation, and held in appalling conditions, where they were interrogated by Gerrard and his team from Dechert, and where they remain, six years later. Jihad Quzmar is the second lawyer detained in the emirate to file a High Court claim accusing Dechert of human rights abuses as a result of this investigation. A former lawyer for the emirate’s sovereign wealth fund, Karam Al Sadeq, is also suing Dechert, two of its partners and a former partner, over human rights abuses . Following the filing of Karam’s High Court claim, the Solicitors Regulation Authority started an investigation into Neil Gerrard. Shortly afterwards, Dechert announced his departure. This new High Court claim contains further shocking allegations and alleges that Gerrard and Dechert orchestrated or were involved in “acts contrary to UAE and international human rights law” , including the “unlawful abduction and detention” of Mr Quzmar, “unlawful searches of his home and removal of his property, seeking to elicit false confessions through the making of improper threats, and exercising control over the conditions of his detention in circumstances where those conditions caused him to suffer serious harm and amounted to inhuman and degrading treatment.” Dechert lawyers face multiple lawsuits for human rights violations in the UAE The inhuman conditions in which Mr Quzmar was held at both the RAK police headquarters and at a military camp of the Ruler’s private militia, were “intended to procure the Claimant’s cooperation with Dechert’s investigation” . These conditions included “detention in a small cell, with a small window covered with a piece of wood so as to block sunlight, in dirty conditions and at times without access to a shower or toothbrush, without the ability to tell the time in order to pray, and the denial of proper access to medical treatment, exercise and visiting rights and telephone calls.” The Claim also accuses Gerrard of threatening Mr Quzmar in interrogations in order to intimidate him into providing false confessions to implicate other associates of Sheikh Faisal. During those interrogations, Mr Quzmar “was subject to humiliating and degrading treatment, including having his hands cuffed behind his back, his feet tied with a rusty chain, his head covered and being shouted at by Mr Gerrard. Mr Gerrard told Mr Quzmar during those meetings that a condition of any settlement was that he confessed to allegations implicating Dr Massaad and Sheikh Faisal which he had already denied, including that Dr Massaad had bribed Mr Quzmar and that Sheikh Faisal had been involved in corruption in relation to the Free Zone Authority, and that unless he cooperated there would be “severe implications" for him and his family.” Mr Quzmar’s wife, Suhad Quzmar, who was also interrogated by Mr Gerrard, said: “Neil humiliated my husband, he insulted him, he taunted him, and treated him in a way that degraded his dignity. He deprived him of his human rights, such as the presence of a lawyer when Jihad was being interrogated, the ability to call his family or receive visits from them, and for twenty three days, Jihad was denied from taking a shower, brushing his teeth, or even changing his clothes. These tactics were implemented in order to pressure my husband into providing false information that would incriminate and Sheikh Faisal and Dr Massaad, which my husband refused to do.” Suhad Quzmar with husband Jihad and son, before his detention. Radha Stirling, Founder and CEO of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International , which represent Mr Quzmar and Mr Al Sadeq, said: “Jihad Quzmar’s claim is further evidence that the abuse of Karam Al Sadeq was not an isolated incident, but part of a system whereby torture, persecution, and coercion are outsourced to third party professionals like Dechert and Gerrard.” Stirling added: “Jihad was detained illegally, essentially kidnapped from his home in front of his children. His home was searched illegally and his wife has been banned from travel illegally. Jihad was also abused, threatened, and denied his basic rights, all to coerce him into capitulating to an illegal demand to falsely implicate innocent people. Allegedly, this entire disgraceful series of violations was conducted under the direction of Neil Gerrard, the representative of one of the world’s largest law firms. The court must affirm that Western lawyers remain bound by legal and ethical standards.”

Dechert lawyers sued in UK by second victim of UAE human rights violations

Radha Stirling client Jihad Quzma, former legal advisor to Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, sues Dechert.

Read More
UAE government owned construction giant Arabtec’s liquidation has put thousands of expats at risk of imprisonment and Interpol red notices, warns Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling. Stirling warned investors to leave Dubai in a Facebook live broadcast today, issuing the following statement: “Whenever a UAE construction entity goes bust, expats go to jail. This is exactly what happened in 2009, and exactly what we will see now. UAE government owned Arabtec has voted to liquidate, leaving $18 billion worth of projects under construction, a disaster for the perhaps thousands of expats who had deals with Arabtec. “Arabtec will be completely protected from consequences with bankruptcy laws providing protection as well as, of course, the government itself. When the banks get into financial trouble, they are bailed out and it is the same with government owned construction companies. Given the UAE’s economic meltdown this year, one would hope that the same safetynet Arabtec enjoys, would also be provided down the chain of companies who rely on Arabtec. “As Arabtec sinks, it will fail to pay companies and individuals who rely upon the income for their survival. In turn, they will default on their obligations, but none of them will be able to seek protection under the UAE’s bankruptcy laws because frankly, they are a joke. Instead, when they default, they will be criminally prosecuted and jailed then later, sued in the civil courts and forced to remain in the UAE until the judgment is paid. They will not be allowed to work though because their passports will be confiscated and their visas cancelled. They will simply be stuck, forever. “Expats, workers and entrepreneurs who may be put in a position where they can’t meet all of their obligations, should not hesitate to leave the UAE as soon as possible or consider they could be making a lifetime choice to be stuck in the country indefinitely. You can not reason with the courts, you can not justify or explain your circumstances. If you can not pay a supplier, a staff member, a bank or even a landlord, you face a lifetime sentence in the unforgiving Emirates. “Those who do leave their Dubai lives behind, have not won. They have lost their dream, their hard work and investment and are at great risk of being listed on Interpol’s Red Notice database which has long been misused as a debt collection tool by the Gulf state. At least though, they will have their freedom. “We saw a mass exodus of expats in 2009, with luxury homes and cars abandoned at airports. These were the individuals who knew Dubai criminalised defaulters, no matter the circumstances, even where directly caused by the UAE government itself. This is still the case. The real victims of Arabtec’s insolvency will be heard for years to come. The UAE remains one of the riskiest places in the world to do business where someone else’s mistake, can land you in jail.”

Radha Stirling warns investors to leave Dubai or face jail after Arabtec liquidation

UAE government owned construction giant Arabtec’s liquidation has put thousands of expats at risk of imprisonment and Interpol red...

Read More
BBC Scotland interviews Radha Stirling and Kenny MacAskill MP on the arrest of Conor Howard in Corfu, Greece on a Qatar issued Interpol Red Notice. Conor Howard, a young Scottish man has been detained for extradition in Greece and faces deportation to Qatar over an herb grinder found in his luggage while transiting through Doha last year. Radha Stirling, founder of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International has been helping the family. Stirling is an Interpol and Extradition expert specialising in Interpol notices from the Middle East with over a decade's experience. Stirling says Qatar is one of the most prevalent abusers of Interpol's databases and that Western nations should not be making arrests on their behalf. The British government has been lobbied to intervene in this case which Kenny MacAskill emphasises, is not a legal matter but a diplomatic matter.

Radha Stirling talks to BBC Radio about Conor Howard

BBC Scotland interviews Radha Stirling and Kenny MacAskill MP on the arrest of Conor Howard in Corfu, Greece on a Qatar issued Interpol...

Read More
Czech court rules detention of dual British / Australian citizen Alan Stevenson was a violation of human rights; calling into question the legitimacy of Interpol’s Red Notice system due to widespread abuse by authoritarian regimes around the world. Stevenson was held due to claims of unpaid debt in Qatar, despite owing no money. Stirling vows to pursue all legal avenues for justice. Alan’s case is emblematic of what has been happening with ever greater frequency from the Gulf States. Interpol has been hijacked by authoritarian regimes around the world who abuse the Red Notice system to persecute political opponents, dissidents, independent journalists, and private individuals over financial disputes. Countries like Qatar and the UAE lead the world in wrongful Red Notice requests for the purpose of debt collection – something that violates Interpol’s own protocols. In Alan’s case, the claim of unpaid debt was entirely unevidenced, and Qatar did not substantiate the charge when Czech authorities requested proof. Law enforcement officials around the world comply with Red Notices because of their relationship with Interpol, not because of their relationships with the countries requesting the Notices; so, like in Alan’s case, people get detained very often without evidence, simply on the basis of a country’s respect for Interpol. When a Red Notice is subsequently deemed invalid, people whose lives have been turned upside down by detention and extradition procedures are just expected to shrug and move on. By challenging the legality of his detention, Alan is helping to change the state of play with the way countries deal with these Notices. The Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic has determined that his incarceration was a violation of his human rights as guaranteed by the UDHR, and they are correct. Interpol has allowed itself to be manipulated, exploited, and used as, essentially, an instrument of financial extortion, not to mention political repression; and this has to stop. Interpol is not vetting Red Notice requests from known abusers of the system, and innocent people are paying the price. Interpol accepted the bogus Red Notice request against Alan from Qatar, and so Czech officials are now guilty of human rights violations because they trusted Interpol. We have been leading the call for years for reform of Interpol’s protocols and for greater transparency. With Alan’s case, we intend to pursue every viable legal option to achieve not only justice and restitution for Alan Stevenson, but the enactment of fundamental changes in how Interpol deals with habitual abusers of the system and those authoritarian member governments with documented gross violations of human rights. Extradition to countries like the UAE, Qatar, Iran, China, Russia, and so on, should be unthinkable; their human rights records are abysmal and their legal systems are starkly below international standards of due process. Yet, they remain eligible for requesting Red Notices, even while in many cases, extradition will mean unjust detention, torture, and potentially death. The stakes are so high, but Interpol has no measures in place to vet requests. Alan’s case can be a watershed moment in this regard. If Interpol reforms, the residual impact could potentially incentivise countries to improve human rights conditions, due process standards, and governmental reforms around the world.

Radha Stirling: Alan Stevenson case should be a watershed moment for Interpol reform and human right

Czech court rules detention of dual British / Australian citizen Alan Stevenson was a violation of human rights; calling into question...

Read More
Embattled American law firm Dechert must provide documents and testimony to the legal team of Karam Al Sadeq pertaining to the conduct of Dechert UK and three of their current and former lawyers, who are currently being sued in London for torture and human rights abuses carried out in the UAE. A judge in New York has agreed that the legal team of imprisoned Jordanian national Karam Al Sadeq has a right to Dechert’s internal documents relating to the firm’s role in the arrest, interrogation, detention and prosecution of Al Sadeq in the UAE State of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), since 2014 on behalf of the RAK Investment Authority. Three Dechert lawyers, Neil Gerrard, Caroline Black, and David Hughes (now at Stewarts Law) are being sued in the UK for human rights violations allegedly committed during the investigation of a fraud case against Al Sadeq, including torture. Al Sadeq maintains that he was persecuted and falsely convicted on fabricated charges as part of a larger political agenda by RAK ruler Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi to purge RAKIA of staff loyal to his deposed brother. Al Sadeq’s lawyers believe Dechert’s US offices may hold key documents and information about the activities of Gerrard, Black, and Hughes, and want to interview a member of the firm’s Policy Committee to whom Gerrard reported. “Disclosure of these documents will not only give a fuller understanding of Neil Gerrard’s remit acting on behalf of RAKIA, his conduct in Karam Al Sadeq’s case, and that of Caroline Black and David Hughes, but also the extent to which Dechert’s US board knew about that conduct,” said Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International, who represents Al Sadeq. “The abuses Karam Al Sadeq and his family suffered, allegedly under the direction of Dechert partners and lawyers are egregious,” says Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International, who represents Al Sadeq, “A picture has developed from Karam’s testimony of partners in a global law firm behaving like RAK’s secret police, acting with impunity under the auspices of the ruler, in violation of not only professional standards of ethics, but of international human rights conventions. Just because a law firm works for a despotic foreign government that approves human rights abuse, does not absolve that firm of responsibility to abide by the law.”

Dechert faces US subpoena over human rights abuse allegations

Embattled American law firm Dechert must provide documents and testimony to the legal team of Karam Al Sadeq pertaining to the conduct of...

Read More
Morag Koussa has finally returned home after six year long detention in Dubai following Detained in Dubai campaign to free her. Morag McNeil Koussa has arrived home in the UK after a 6 year nightmare in Dubai. “We are just so happy to have mum with us here, there are no words to express the joy” her family told Radha Stirling today, after Stirling’s organisation, Detained in Dubai, campaigned for the Scottish mother’s return. Morag Koussa, detained in Dubai for six years before being reunited with her children Six years ago, British national Morag McNeil Koussa was abandoned by her husband and shackled with his debts. Of course, he had promised to return with enough money to pay back his creditors, but on the day Morag signed the documents in court, and handed over her passport to the authorities; not understanding the full implications of what she was agreeing to, Morag’s husband took a flight out of Dubai and was never heard from again. Over the next few years, Morag’s circumstances went from bad to worse. She was taken to court for her husband’s unpaid debts, she lost her home and was forced to live with another family on the condition that she look after an elderly relative suffering from dementia. The youngest of her three children had to leave university in the UK due to the financial pressure the family was suffering. Banks and creditors were indifferent to her situation, and continued to hold her legally responsible for her husband’s debts. She had no passport, her visa expired, she couldn’t work and she couldn’t leave. She wasn’t even allowed to file for divorce from the man who had betrayed her. Tonight, however, Morag is finally reunited with her children, and back home in the UK. “We are enormously happy that we were able to assist in resolving Morag’s dilemma,” Said Stirling, “She and her family have gone through a terrible trauma, emotionally and of course financially, for years now, with no prospects of a solution. As soon as they contacted us, we began bringing Morag’s plight to the attention of the British media and relevant authorities. MPs Daniel Zeichner and Aspana Begum were particularly responsive and followed up with the FCO and British consular officials. We are extremely pleased that the banks involved in her case ultimately agreed that she has been a victim herself of her husband’s failure to meet his debt obligations, and that Morag deserved to be released from paying what he owed, and allowed to go home.” '"I’m absolutely delighted that Morag is back home. I know that the family have experienced much worry and anxiety over the last few years while she has been unable to travel or leave the UAE because of something beyond her control. I wish Morag, and the family, well for the future". - Daniel Zeichner, MP - Cambridge Daniel Zeichner, MP advocated for Ms Koussa's freedom, pressuring the FCO right until her release Stirling noted that the support of Zeichner and Begum was vital. When a citizen’s representatives in Parliament take an active interest in their case, engage with the family, and liaise with the authorities, it makes an enormous difference and accelerates a positive outcome. Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai who supported the Koussa family said "Morag was pressured by her husband to sign court documents at the spur of the moment which transferred his debts to her. She had been married for 20 years and trusted this man, the father of her children. That trust was rewarded with utter abandonment, with debts that were impossible for her to pay, and with 6 years of hopeless struggle to survive. It is deeply gratifying that Morag is now home with her family, and can begin to put this long nightmare behind her.” Ms Stirling announced the return of Morag Koussa in a live broadcast on Facebook.

Scottish Mum abandoned by husband in Dubai and held over his debts, finally returns home

Morag McNeil Koussa has arrived home in the UK after a 6 year nightmare in Dubai. “We are just so happy to have mum with us here, there are

Read More
According to a report in the Guardian yesterday, the mobile phone of one of Catalonia’s most senior politicians was targeted using spyware produced by an Israeli company and sold to governments around the world. The hacking software exploits vulnerabilities in WhatsApp to gain control over a target’s phone. Saudi Arabia is Among the governments the Israeli firm NSO Group list as clients, and it is widely believed that other Gulf States are likely to be utilising the spyware. “The government of Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE has been implicated in multiple hacking attempts in the past,” says Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai & Due Process International, “The case of Farhad Azima is perhaps the most well known, but others have allegedly been targeted, had their emails hacked, locations tracked, and so on, with suspicion falling upon RAK’s ruler Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qassimi. This software is officially designated for use only to monitor suspected terrorists and criminals, but when it is being utilised by undemocratic states, like in the Gulf, it is more likely to be used to persecute political enemies and as a weapon in personal disputes between members of the government and private sector partners.” Stirling cautions that rulers throughout the Gulf tend to view the state apparatus as their personal property, and they will use it against any perceived opponents without hesitation. “Rights of privacy, freedoms of expression and association, individual liberty, are all concepts that do not exist either culturally or legally in many of these countries. Often the state does not need grounds for surveilling an individual beyond the caprice of the ruler; who has absolute authority. “They can, and do, spy on business partners and investors, political opposition parties, journalists, human rights organisations, and academics. NSO Group must know that authoritarian states are using their software, not for preventing crimes or terrorism, but as instruments of control and persecution.” “Our organisation takes internet security very seriously, and many of our clients have suffered hacking attempts. We are actively pursuing litigation on their behalf, in both the US and UK, for these grave breaches of privacy. Gulf states like Qatar and the UAE frequently reach beyond their territorial jurisdictions to harass and abuse people involved in disputes in those countries; hacking is just one of the methods they employ. We urge everyone to know their rights according to the laws of the country of their citizenship, and that lawsuits can be brought against parties abroad who violate these rights. Just because this sort of hacking software is only sold to governments does not mean it will be used responsibly or even legally; and when those government clients include the likes of Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar or countries who service them, it is almost a certainty that it will be misused.”

Hacking of Catalan politician’s phone heightens fears of misuse of spyware by Gulf States

Fear over hacking by Gulf states as allegations of abuses increase.

Read More
Derrin Crawford may be stuck in Dubai for a very long time; the question is whether she will be in prison or banned from travel as a witness. The 23 year old air hostess from Liverpool was arrested in late June when Dubai police raided the apartment of a man she just started seeing. Derrin was in the apartment at the time, though clearly her date was the target of the raid; drugs were discovered on the premises, and both Derrin and the man were taken into custody. Derrin has been arrested on allegations of possession of drugs with intent to distribute, despite having no drugs on her person or in her bloodstream, and the fact that the apartment was not her own, and her presence at the time of the police raid was simply coincidental. According to Radha Stirling, CEO and founder of Detained in Dubai, who represents Derrin, she will be given another drug test and if it comes back again as negative, she may be released from the charges, but required to remain in the UAE as a witness. “Derrin only knew this man for 4 days before the raid occurred, and we are hopeful that he will submit a statement to the authorities confirming this, and that the narcotics found in his apartment belonged to him alone, and Derrin had no knowledge of them,” Stirling explained “She is being tested again, and when it is once more established that Derrin did not, and does not consume any drugs, we are told that the allegations against her may be dropped. However, the Public Prosecutor may require her to remain indefinitely in the UAE as a witness, both during the investigation and throughout any eventual trial.” The UAE does not adhere to standard investigative and evidentiary procedures, Stirling cautioned, leading to many cases in which people who were simply in proximity to a crime become implicated and charged in it. “Andy Neal spent over a year in prison even while positive proof of his innocence was known to the police; the only thing linking him in any way to the real offenders was a name in his contact list apparently shared by one of the individuals targeted in the police investigation into a drug peddling ring. Asa Hutchinson was arrested and detained for months simply for being present during a scuffle in a hotel lobby; she was treated as an accomplice rather than as a witness. “Foreigners visiting Dubai need to understand that the police cast a very wide net, often very randomly, when a crime is suspected, and anyone in proximity can be arbitrarily implicated and then coerced into making a false confession, frequently made to sign statements in Arabic they do not understand, and fast tracked to convictions. Alternatively, a person, like Derrin, can find themselves detained or subjected to a travel ban for weeks or months during prolonged investigations, which are often deliberately prolonged precisely to coerce suspects into confessing because the police lack any substantial evidence. “Fortunately, legal representation has been arranged for her and It is our hope that Derrin will be released, and that the individual who allegedly possessed the illegal substances will clear her of any involvement or knowledge, so that Derrin will be allowed to return home as soon as possible. However, the FCO and consular staff need to follow up with the UAE authorities to ensure that acceptable standards of due process are observed, otherwise, Derrin could find herself stuck in the UAE against her will, and without cause, indefinitely.”

​Air hostess detained in UAE may be forced to remain even if charges dropped

Derrin Crawford may be stuck in Dubai for a very long time; the question is whether she will be in prison or banned from travel as a...

Read More
A British flight attendant is being detained in Dubai with "what appears to be no case to answer" over a drugs raid, her MP has said. The family of Derrin Crawford, 23, of Liverpool, said she was arrested on 21 June and later moved to Al Barsha jail. Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson said her family was "very worried" as she has a medical condition. Campaign group Detained in Dubai, which is assisting her, said she had been treated "appallingly". 'Bread and jam' The Labour MP said Ms Crawford's family told her they had been denied contact with her since Sunday. "They have not been allowed to take in toiletries and food. According to family members she is existing on water, bread and jam," she said. The MP said Ms Crawford, who works for Emirates and is based in Dubai, denies any wrongdoing. "From what I can gather a test was undertaken for drugs which proved negative, so she is being detained with what appears to be no case to answer," Ms Johnson said. She said she was making interventions through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the British Embassy in United Arab Emirates. Detained in Dubai's chief executive Radha Stirling said it was "absurd" Ms Crawford was being held by Dubai police, and that she had been in the "wrong place at the wrong time" as her "date allegedly possessed marijuana". She told the BBC: "Derrin visited an apartment, and was arrested and detained for something she had no control over." She said the conditions she is being kept in were "appalling and dangerous". "Human rights violations are thoroughly documented. We are concerned about Derrin's safety." The FCO said in a statement it was supporting a British woman "currently detained in the UAE and will look to visit her when local lockdown restrictions are lifted". "We are in contact with Emirati authorities and have provided details of local lawyers to her family." A spokesperson from Emirates airline said it was aware of the case but could not comment further. The BBC has contacted Dubai police for comment.

BBC Interview with Radha Stirling: Dubai drug raid: 'No reason' to hold Liverpool flight att

A British flight attendant is being detained in Dubai with "what appears to be no case to answer" over a drugs raid, her MP has said. The...

Read More
IPEX founder and CEO Radha Stirling specialises in the removal of Interpol Red Notices issued by abusive nations like Iran. Stirling has helped hundreds of Interpol abuse victims over the past decade and has campaigned for reforms to Interpol’s procedures and for sanctions against countries who continue to abuse the system, like Iran, the UAE, Qatar, Russia, China, Egypt and Turkey. Stirling is an expert witness on Interpol abuse in civil and extradition cases, and is part of a working group in DC lobbying for reforms and accountability for wrongful notices. Stirling commented on reports of Trump’s listing with Interpol: “Iran’s attempt to list the President of the United States and others involved in the drone strike that killed General Qassem Soleimani is a fantastic example of how susceptible the international organisation agency is to abuse by its member states. “The only thing Iran has achieved in this instance is showing up how Interpol is perhaps the only policing organisation that should be defunded by the US. The escalation of offensive actions against Americans by countries like China, Qatar, Saudi & the UAE is something that needs to be urgently put in check. Whether it is the planned murder of Americans, the abduction of citizens or the misuse of collaborative crime agency Interpol, the United States needs to end the escalation of aggression against its nationals and make agencies like Interpol accountable. “Iran treats Interpol like its own little politicised police force, to harass, threaten and cause the unfair detention of victims abroad. Iranian beauty queen ​Bahareh Zare Bahari was detained in the Philippines on the basis of her support for opposition parties and though removed, neither Interpol nor Iran have their lesson. Interpol has zero checks and balances and their members know it. Interpol relies entirely on the member state to voluntarily abide by their charter and their lack of action against regular abusers, has raised allegations of corruption against the controversial agency. “When an Interpol victim challenges an abusive notice, Interpol will review the removal request and after nine months or more, finally remove the notice. They do not, however, sanction the country for repeat abuse which sends a very clear message to member states that Interpol is open for business and it’s a pay to play database. After the controversial arrest of Ms Bahari, Interpol might have considered suspending Iran’s membership but instead, they continue to accept frivolous, politically motivated red notices, leading to human rights violations and lengthy, wrongful detentions abroad. “Iran has issued notices against journalists, football players, businessmen, opposition supporters and now a head of state. In this case, they have succeeded at highlighting the urgent need for the reform of Interpol’s procedures and protocols in accepting notices from nations like Iran. “Interpol is funded by its member states and has little incentive to upset their donors, even if it means innocent victims are arrested or detained unfairly, for “crimes” such as journalism, credit card debts or for countries like Iran who seek to harass and cause individuals harm. “Interpol is already under review and pressure to reform its dangerously abusive procedures, and now they may face sanctions from the States.”

​Interpol abuse spotlighted after Iran Red Notice against Donald Trump

IPEX founder and CEO Radha Stirling specialises in the removal of Interpol Red Notices issued by abusive nations like Iran. Stirling has...

Read More
28 year old Indian Jonnadula Maruthi Prasad says he was duped into working in Qatar, now he wants to go home but he is detained in Doha. His employer refuses to give him the permission he needs to leave the country, forces him to work in a job he didn’t accept, where he risks venomous snake encounters and then only feeds him very little, once a day. Jonnadula took to social media to beg for help. He had tried the police, reporting that he had been physically attacked and abused by his employer. “I came over to accept a job as a household chauffeur but now I’m forced to work very hard labour in the fields, with lots of scorpions and snakes. I am treated very badly, no medical and no food, only once a day. I am being hit and tortured”, he told Detained in Doha and Due Process International’s CEO Radha Stirling who issued the following statement: “The Times of India has just announced that fifty thousand Indians are desperate for repatriation from Qatar, reporting abandonment by their own country and being turned away at the Embassy in Doha. This is not a covid-19 issue though, the abuse of migrant workers has been a long standing issue for years. “Qatar offers up Asian and African workers like real life slaves. It is a kin to human trafficking when someone like Jonnadula agrees to take a job as a chauffeur then ends up forced to work a hard labour job without his consent. He is not allowed to leave the country, his employer holds his passport and work permit, treats him awfully and doesn’t even provide basic health and nutrition. “This practice is not only sanctioned by officials, it is encouraged. It gives Qatar an advantage over other countries, it allows them to cheaply build exhibits like the Qatar 2022 World Cup Stadium, while deflecting criticism for human rights violations. Qatar so readily plays victim when it comes to reputational assaults by its adversaries in the Gulf, criticises the UAE for human rights violations, but does nothing to address the despicable enslavement of foreign workers, a practice that has been criticised by human rights organisations like Amnesty & HRW. “If an employee must sacrifice his passport and seek permission from his employer or business partner to leave the country, his chances of mistreatment escalate. He has no position of power and his employer can do with him what he will. This has been the case for Jonnadula. The police will not help him. All he wants to do is stop the mistreatment and go home. This very simple request, if not granted, exemplifies that slavery is still live and active in Qatar. “It’s not just the migrant workers, entrepreneurs and businessmen are equally detained in the country, like Jonathan Nash, Joseph Sarlak and Ranald Crook. Qatar’s system allows for the systematic abuse of foreign workers, businesspeople, entrepreneurs and investors. Until the playing field is levelled out, Qatar remains a risky place to foreigners. “We are appealing to the Qatar and Indian authorities on behalf of Jonnadula. He is not a criminal and he is not a slave, yet he is being treated like one. He only wishes to return home. “We urge foreign governments to issue warnings to citizens of the risks of working or investing in Qatar.”

Duped migrant workers face modern day slavery in Qatar

28 year old Indian Jonnadula Maruthi Prasad says he was duped into working in Qatar, now he wants to go home but he is detained in Doha....

Read More
bottom of page