Irish Grandfather’s Fight to Survive on the Streets of Dubai

Detained in Dubai
Sep 20
2 min read

Irish/British grandfather John Murphy, 59, from Limerick, is destitute and trapped in Dubai despite being found innocent of the charges that first landed him in prison. With no home, no income, and barred from leaving the UAE, Murphy is now physically failing, in urgent need of medical and dental care, and after being chased away from a bus station where he was sleeping, he is now forced to spend his days riding the metro to survive.

Murphy was originally arrested in Abu Dhabi on allegations of being offensive to hotel security staff. He was jailed while awaiting trial but later acquitted. Yet during his wrongful imprisonment, his landlord pursued him for rent arrears that built up while he was behind bars. His possessions were seized, and a travel ban was imposed.

Although innocent, Murphy has never been able to rebuild his life. Instead, he has been left in legal limbo for years. Homelessness is illegal in Dubai, but when Murphy tried to surrender himself to police, they refused to take him in.

"John is literally trapped between a rock and a hard place," said Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai. "He is innocent, yet he cannot leave, cannot work, and cannot even be arrested to resolve his situation. He is now physically failing, suffering from serious medical and dental issues, and abandoned in a foreign country."

Murphy has two unresolved civil cases, including one in Abu Dhabi dating back to 2017. He maintains he has evidence the debts are not owed but cannot afford the administrative fees to defend himself.

With deep family ties in Limerick and Dublin, where dozens of relatives are waiting to support him, his case is now a humanitarian emergency. While Murphy also holds a UK passport, his Irish identity and strong family roots in Limerick make it vital that Ireland leads in securing his safe return.

"Ireland cannot abandon one of its own citizens, especially a grandfather found innocent, to die on the streets of Dubai," Stirling added. "We are calling not only on the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin but also on the Irish Embassy in Abu Dhabi to intervene urgently and secure John’s immediate repatriation before his health collapses."

Stirling also praised Ireland’s record in similar situations: “The Irish government has shown leadership in the past year by intervening successfully in cases where citizens were unjustly detained or left in danger abroad. We urge them to extend the same urgency and compassion to John Murphy, whose situation is now desperate.”