#MiddleEast

Dechert partner Neil Gerrard fails to rebut allegations of human rights abuses

Detained in Dubai

May 28, 2020
3 min

Dechert partner Neil Gerrard fails to rebut allegations of human rights abuses

Deputy Judge Andrew Lenon QC has now handed down his judgment in the case of Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA) v Farhad Azima. The ruling is highly relevant to Karam Al Sadeq’s recent torture claims against international law firm Dechert and lawyer Mr Neil Gerrard who represent RAKIA. Ras Al Khaimah has a well-documented track record of human rights abuses and the Judge noted in this judgment that: “The 2014 Amnesty International Report indicates that there were rea

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For women in Qatar, lockdown is nothing new

Detained in Dubai

May 21, 2020
3 min

For women in Qatar, lockdown is nothing new

Women’s rights in Qatar not enshrined in law. Male Guardianship rules force women to flee oppression. When it comes to the issue of women’s rights in the Gulf , Saudi Arabia is most frequently cited as the most repressive country in the region, and Qatar is widely regarded as the most modern in terms of human development. Qatar has become somewhat of a darling among Western liberal intelligentsia, likely in part because of the peninsular country’s pumping tens of millions of

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International law firm Dechert named in another suit involving Ras Al Khaimah Ruler’s wrongdoings

Detained in Dubai

May 20, 2020
7 min

International law firm Dechert named in another suit involving Ras Al Khaimah Ruler’s wrongdoings

Dechert sued in UK and US for human rights violations and misconduct acting for Sheikh Saud, ruler of RAK Already in court over participation in alleged human rights abuses, including torture of a detainee in Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates; Philadelphia-based law firm Dechert LLP is embroiled in another US Federal lawsuit in New York, accused of complicity in the falsification of evidence and slander in a malicious government-orchestrated campaign against American

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"Australian embassy woefully unhelpful" in Qatar administrative blunder!

Detained in Dubai

May 18, 2020
3 min

"Australian embassy woefully unhelpful" in Qatar administrative blunder!

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

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“Leave Dubai before you are jailed” - Coronavirus lockdown economic disaster risks gulf expats

Detained in Dubai

May 8, 2020
3 min

“Leave Dubai before you are jailed” - Coronavirus lockdown economic disaster risks gulf expats

Dubai expats face jail over lockdown economic crisis Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, founded in 2008 has warned foreign workers and investors in the UAE to exit before it’s too late. 2008 saw mass casualties, with debtors jailed, robbed of their assets or prevented from leaving the country. Worldwide lockdowns are expected to have an even greater impact. Stirling issued the following statement: “The closure of world economies, travel and businesses this year has le

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Qatar human rights violations liable to be sued in UK

Detained in Dubai

May 3, 2020
4 min

Qatar human rights violations liable to be sued in UK

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

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Radha Stirling’s remarks on the death of Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said of Oman:

Detained in Dubai

Jan 12, 2020
2 min

Radha Stirling’s remarks on the death of Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said of Oman:

Sultan Qaboos “The passing of Sultan Qaboos of Oman, who ruled the country for nearly half a century, has left the Gulf without one of the its most neutral rulers. Regional tensions between Qatar and its neighbours, and rivalry between the Sunni states and Iran, have made the region’s interrelations highly volatile and Oman was a mediating presence ; it offered a kind of neutral territory where everyone could come to potentially iron out their differences. Just how unique Sul

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WITH INTERPOL'S HELP, FORMER BEAUTY QUEEN MAY BE IRAN'S NEXT POLITICAL PRISONER

Detained in Dubai

Oct 28, 2019
2 min

WITH INTERPOL'S HELP, FORMER BEAUTY QUEEN MAY BE IRAN'S NEXT POLITICAL PRISONER

Former Iranian beauty queen Bahareh Zare Bahari is seeking asylum in the Philippines after being detained in an airport in Manila for more than a week over a Red Notice issued by authorities in Iran. The 31-year old has been studying dentistry in the Philippines for a number of years, and has used her relative celebrity as Iran's representative in the Miss Intercontinental 2018 pageant to speak out for women's rights and reformist parties in her home country. According to loc

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“New UK “crackdown” on Interpol arrest procedures endangers human rights” - Radha Stirling

Detained in Dubai

Oct 14, 2019
2 min

“New UK “crackdown” on Interpol arrest procedures endangers human rights” - Radha Stirling

Government to announce crackdown on foreign criminals as part of hardline new measures included in Queen’s Speech It was announced today that the UK will implement a new policy regarding the arrest of individuals listed on the Interpol database with a Red Notice. In the proposed measure, police will be empowered to arrest anyone whose name is listed without first obtaining a domestic arrest warrant by a British magistrate. Expert Witness Radha Stirling, who has led calls for

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UAE bank’s Interpol Abuse raised at UK Parliament after Brit’s 12 month long ordeal

Detained in Dubai

Oct 9, 2019
3 min

UAE bank’s Interpol Abuse raised at UK Parliament after Brit’s 12 month long ordeal

Emma Lewell-Buck MP raises Interpol Abuse in UK Parliament Emma Lewell-Buck MP was the first to raise at Parliament level, serious issues of malpractice within the international law enforcement agency Interpol. Legal organisation Detained in Dubai, a leading voice against Interpol Abuse over the past decade, has been working with Lewell-Buck on the Urwin case. “We have seen hundreds of innocent people either arrested, harassed, extorted or threatened with Interpol notices,” s

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Missouri mother & horse bite victim faces 5 years in UAE jail for requesting unpaid wages

Detained in Dubai

Aug 25, 2019
4 min

Missouri mother & horse bite victim faces 5 years in UAE jail for requesting unpaid wages

Animal rescue volunteer Nichole Coffel faces 5 years in Abu Dhabi prison Missouri mother of 3, Traci Nichole Coffel (Nichole), is facing a possible jail term in Abu Dhabi because she asked for her unpaid wages and compensation for medical bills after her employer’s horse bit her. Instead of paying Nichole what she owed, celebrated UAE jockey, Anoud Sultan Al Suwaidi filed a complaint on June 9th against her with the police, alleging Nichole violated Cybercrime laws by insulti

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Detained in Dubai

Jul 3, 2019
1 min

Radha Stirling responds to Sheikh Mohammed seeking custody of his children through foreign courts

"What we have seen is that the endemic human rights violations in the UAE very much reflect a top-down, authoritarian system. The abuses that permeate the legal system; torture, forced confessions, fabrication of evidence, and arbitrary detention; correspond with the attitude and behaviour of those at the highest levels of government. I have testified as an expert witness in several high profile cases defending against extradition to the UAE, and the United Kingdom has catego

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Polish UAE prisoner Artur Ligęska released from Abu Dhabi central jail last week, tells of condition

Detained in Dubai

May 20, 2019
3 min

Polish UAE prisoner Artur Ligęska released from Abu Dhabi central jail last week, tells of condition

Artur Ligęska suffered over a year of detention and a life sentence before ruler intervened Artur Ligęska, who had been sentenced to life in Abu Dhabi prison contacted Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling on Friday to surprise her with the delightful news that he was home safe in Poland. In April last year, he had been accused of possessing and consuming methamphetamines, something he had never done in his life. At his last court appearance, his defence attorney had argued th

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“Cultural misunderstanding” behind imprisoned British teachers in Oman; Stirling calls for UK, Oman

Detained in Dubai

May 16, 2019
2 min

“Cultural misunderstanding” behind imprisoned British teachers in Oman; Stirling calls for UK, Oman

Jennifer Green detained in Oman Two British teachers are being held in a prison in Oman accused of stealing dogs. Jenny Green, and a female friend say they rescued the dogs from an abusive owner, but they have been charged with theft, and potentially alcohol related charges. Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, has issued the following statement on the case: “This is yet another stark reminder that there are vast cultural and legal disparities between the West and the Gu

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British "facebook-horse" post prisoner in Dubai free to return home

Detained in Dubai

Apr 11, 2019
2 min

British "facebook-horse" post prisoner in Dubai free to return home

Laleh Shahravesh, the British mum detained in Dubai over a years old Facebook post, finally looks set to be free. After an emotional but anticlimactic court hearing this morning, in which the judge adjourned Laleh’s case until a later date, Detained in Dubai received the welcome news that the judge has ordered Laleh to pay a fine of AED 3,000, and that her passport should be returned. She is then free to return to the UK At the time of writing, Laleh’s attorney has paid the

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British mother faces 2 years jail and £50,000 fine in Dubai, because of old Facebook posts

Detained in Dubai

Apr 7, 2019
7 min

British mother faces 2 years jail and £50,000 fine in Dubai, because of old Facebook posts

Widely criticised “cybercrime” laws in Dubai mean that a London single mum has been arrested together with her 14 year old daughter at Dubai airport. She now faces up to two years in jail and a fine of £50,000 for two facebook posts she made in 2016 about her ex husband’s new wife. She made the two posts while living in the UK Londoner Laleh Shahravesh, 55, was married to Portuguese husband Pedro for 18 years. They had lived in Dubai for 8 months where he worked for HSBC. She

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Minister of State, Alistair Burt to meet with family of Andy Neal - innocent veteran held for 6 mont

Detained in Dubai

Mar 20, 2019
3 min

Minister of State, Alistair Burt to meet with family of Andy Neal - innocent veteran held for 6 mont

Concern over the unjust detention of British veteran Andy Neal grows every day that his incarceration is prolonged. Tomorrow, Thursday March 21, 2019, Minister of State Alistair Burt and MP Mark Spencer will be meeting with Andy’s parents to discuss their son’s plight and what the British government is doing to help secure his release. “We are very grateful to see the Minister’s keenness to support Andy and his family,” says Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, whose org

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Former MP and Shadow Homeland Security Spokesman, Colonel Patrick Mercer, joins the outcry over the

Detained in Dubai

Mar 4, 2019
4 min

Former MP and Shadow Homeland Security Spokesman, Colonel Patrick Mercer, joins the outcry over the

Colonel Patrick Mercer. Former commanding officer of the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters (left). Andrew Neal (right) Colonel Mercer was the commanding officer of the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment when Andrew was serving as a private soldier. Since then, Mercer has gone on to serve as the MP for Newark, rising to the heights of Shadow Homeland Security Spokesman for the Conservative party before controversial comments about army life led to him leaving

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Can football resolve the feud between Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia?

Radha Stirling

Feb 28, 2019
3 min

Can football resolve the feud between Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia?

The ongoing dispute between Gulf neighbours Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia (with a variety of other countries allied to one side or the other), has become increasingly disruptive and dangerous; even victimising disinterested foreign visitors to the Gulf as the rivals ramp up pressure tactics against each other. Just last month a British national was attacked and subsequently jailed in the UAE for wearing a team jersey for the Qatar national football team while attending a ma

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Army friends rally support for Andy Neal as Dubai prosecutors claim decision on release will come Th

Detained in Dubai

Feb 19, 2019
7 min

Army friends rally support for Andy Neal as Dubai prosecutors claim decision on release will come Th

Army colleagues of Brit father of 2 wrongly imprisoned in Dubai rally to his support. A 44 year old British family man, war hero and PTSD sufferer is trapped in jail in the UAE on charges of being a drugs kingpin, despite the prosecutors admitting there is no evidence against him. Police searches of his house, phone and bank accounts turned up nothing, and even a blood test showed him to be clean of any kind of drug residue. The case was based solely on the forced confession

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