In this new episode, Radha Stirling interviews for the first time, Australian national Joe Sarlak, who has been detained in Doha for many years after being used as a scapegoat by the Qatari royal who was his local sponsor. His sponsor had secretly looted Sarlak’s business to pay for his own financial obligations, leaving business cheques to bounce that would see Sarlak locked up for years in Doha’s disastrous desert prison. With no possibility to defend himself and with no a

Australian Embassy taking care of business, not citizens. Australian national Joseph Sarlak, 69, is not allowed to leave Qatar, and no one knows why. He has been stuck in the tiny Gulf nation ever since 2016 when he was made scapegoat for the embezzlement committed by his local business partner who depleted the company accounts while Joe had cheques pending to suppliers. Those cheques bounced despite Joe making every effort to arrange the funds, and Joe went to jail. He was f

Joseph Sarlak, Ranald Crook and Jonathan Nash - Detained in Doha When foreigners move to Qatar, it’s usually on the basis of an invitation, a business opportunity or a job. Doha doesn’t have the same “lifestyle appeal” that Dubai has built up; but for expats, a few years in a hot climate, perhaps with a Sheraton club membership, doesn’t sound all that bad. Most invites are extended to industry experts, particularly in the construction industry, project managers, architects, l

Regular Interpol Abuser Qatar, funds Interpol project An Irishman’s nightmare began when he was arrested in Spain after Qatar had issued an Interpol Red Notice against him. When he met Interpol & Extradition Expert Radha Stirling this year, he had no idea what the Interpol notice could possibly be regarding. It turned out, he had been accused of committing a fraud in the capacity of “Director” of a Company in Qatar, for which he never was a Director and nor ever had access to

Amnesty joins fight for Australian’s freedom Elderly Australian citizen Joseph Sarlak should have been home a long time ago. Instead, after being released from a virtual life sentence in Qatar after being scapegoated by local business partner, he remains behind bars in an overcrowded, filthy immigration jail in Doha. Sarlak suffers from a number of serious health conditions, and has already endured 3 years without proper medical care in prison. Detained in Dubai has actively

Joseph Sarlak at risk of death in custody as AU govt. fails to intervene on his behalf Spotlight on Qatar human rights: “69 yr old Australian Jo Sarlak phoned me crying from Qatar prison as authorities won’t issue visa to get home” - Radha Stirling, Detained in Dubai My morning coffee was disturbed by a gut wrenching phone call from Joseph Sarlak this week, whose situation is highlighting endemic human rights abuses in the next country to host FIFA. While countries like the U

While the footballing community worldwide have rallied against the extradition of Bahraini refugee and Australian asylum recipient Hakeem Alaraibi from Thailand on the grounds that he will undoubtedly face persecution, torture, and possibly death if he is returned to Bahrain; one cannot help but notice something of a paradox in the fact that Qatar is poised to host the World Cup. How different, really, is Bahrain from Qatar? Amnesty International cautions that “allegations of

68 year old Australian national Joseph Sarlak may spend the rest of his life in a Qatari prison after a local partner allegedly embezzled his company’s funds, and Australians are voicing their anger In 2004, Queensland native Joseph Sarlak opened Clearspan Technology in Qatar. According to the investment rules at the time, Sarlak needed to appoint a local partner who would legally have 100% ownership of the company. It was unavoidable; so Joseph selected Sheikh Khalid Fahad M

While Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani is visiting the UK, enjoying the hospitality of London; two expats are languishing in a Doha jail and may never see England again. Jonathan Nash and Australian cellmate Joseph Sarlak have both been sentenced to what amounts to life imprisonment for nothing more than bounced cheques, a serious crime of which they were both set up. Both cases are strikingly similar, each was essentially framed by their Qatari business partners and hel

Australian Family man Joe Sarlak’s nightmare began on the 31st of July 2016, nearly two years ago, when he was tricked into attending a meeting to discuss his plans to leave Qatar. He has been in Doha prison ever since and, now experiencing serious health problems, fears he will die in Doha jail. In 2004, Joe was operating a business called Clearspan Technology in Queensland & Northern NSW, Australia, when he was asked to provide a quote for a civil project for Qatar Airwa