Statement of Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai Anyone familiar with Princess Latifa’s story who listened to the BBC Radio interview today with Mary Robinson will be astonished at the extent to which Ms Robinson appeared to be reciting almost verbatim from Dubai’s script. What we heard today was Mary Robinson essentially reciting for BBC Radio listeners the content of the statement issued by the Dubai Ruler’s Court. She had nothing to say about the charges Latifa made a

Radha Stirling comments on the escalation of belligerent behaviour of the UAE Upon her return from Washington D.C., having met with policy makers, academics, journalists and human rights organisations; Radha Stirling reflects on the current trajectory of the UAE’s relations with the international community: The killing of Jamal Khashoggi Seven months before dissident Jamal Khashoggi was brutally murdered, Saudi Arabia’s principle ally in the Gulf, the United Arab Emirates bru

Indo-UAE ties to expand Emirates’ sphere of influence a troubling development, given UAE’s record of human rights abuse and disregard for the rule of law; reveals short term thinking of Modi govt To anyone who has lived in, or even visited the United Arab Emirates, one thing is obvious: the country could not function without Indians. Foreigners often joke that the national language of the Emirates is Hindi or Urdu, not Arabic. Indeed, in the 1950s, rupees used to be legal ten

On Thursday, December 6 BBC2 will air Escape from Dubai: the Mystery of the Missing Princess, reporting to a global audience the story of Sheikha Latifa al Maktoum, daughter of the Ruler of Dubai, who fled the UAE after allegedly years of abuse, only to be recaptured in a violent raid at sea; calling into question the image of the Emirates as a modern, liberal country The UAE celebrates its National Day this week; within the insulated, media-censored bubble of Dubai and Abu D

Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling, a leading international expert on Human Rights and legal abuse in the UAE, is currently in Washington D.C. to address the Frontiers of Freedom conference entitled, “Saudi Arabia & UAE: Regional Adventures & US Interests”, during which she will discuss the UAE’s March 4th illegal raid on US-registered yacht, Nostromo, in international waters, and the subsequent abduction of all onboard, undertaken in an effort to recapture the fleeing daug

Detained in Dubai founder and CEO, Radha Stirling, leading international expert on Human Rights and legal abuses in the UAE, will be speaking in Washington D.C. at the Frontiers of Freedom conference entitled, “Saudi Arabia & UAE: Regional Adventures & US Interests”. Other speakers at the event include Senator Rand Paul, Congressman Gerry Connolly, and the foundation’s president, George Landrith. “I have noted that the trajectory of the United Arab Emirates has observably vee

Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, who have been actively pushing for the release of British academic Matthew Hedges, commented today on the pardon just issued by the UAE government: “We are happy that Matthew Hedges has been released, but let us be clear, the UAE is trying to get themselves off the hook by issuing this pardon; they are asking for clemency, not granting it. “Matthew should never have been arrested; never should have been forced to sign a false confessi

Statement from Radha Stirling (CEO of Detained in Dubai): "The announcement that Matthew Hedges has been sentenced to life imprisonment in Abu Dhabi has sent shockwaves through the British and international community as well as the academic community who I have advised to suspend research trips to the Emirates. UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told the press he was 'deeply shocked and disappointed', adding that Wednesday's sentencing was 'not what London expected from an all

It has been a bad year for the UAE. First, the daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, records a video detailing horrific abuse she and her sister suffered at his hands; then she tries to escape the country. The UAE and India illegally raid the American-registered yacht that was ferrying her to safety, and kidnap all those onboard; all in the name of enforcing Islamic Law in international waters. The UAE is facing a United Nations enquiry into t

Geneva is a long way from the Arabian Gulf, but last Friday, a special closed session of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) heard testimony from witnesses and international experts about the disturbing events surrounding the abduction of Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum off the coast of India. It's been over 6 months since Princess Latifa's distress call on the 4th of March to Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling, when her yacht was brutally attac

Indian media has reported a Dubai court has ruled to extradite British national Christian Michel to India over charges of bribery and corruption. Last July Indian officials traveled to the UAE to request Michel be handed over into Indian custody, in an apparent attempt to override international protocols on extradition. Perhaps in response to this request, the UAE undertook extradition proceedings. Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, and a leading expert on the UAE lega

Detained in Dubai welcomes Amnesty International’s calls for release of Princess Latifa Al Maktoum, daughter of the Ruler of Dubai, who has been detained incommunicado for six months in the UAE after being abducted by Indian and Emirati special forces during an attempt to flee the country to seek asylum in America. Amnesty International, on the 6 month anniversary of Princess Latifa’s disappearance, called on the UAE and Indian governments “to investigate and hold to account

UAE-India raid to capture Princess Latifa is spiralling into a new levels of disregard for legal protocols and International Law, as UAE remains unaccountable. Detained in Dubai who has dealt with more than 10,000 cases of injustice over the past decade, warned that the rogue actions of the UAE and India in raiding a US registered vessel in international waters to capture Princess Latifa Al Maktoum in March of this year, abducting five foreign nationals along with her, includ

Briton Christian Michel may be denied due process as Indian officials press UAE for extradition in gratitude for India’s collaboration in the capture of Princess Latifa A British national appears to be caught in the ‘politics of favours’ between the UAE and India in the wake of India’s collaboration in the abduction of Dubai princess Latifa Al Maktoum in March. India is seeking the extradition of Christian Michel in connection with a high profile financial scandal; but rather

India requests extradition of Christian Michel, after having breached international law in returning Princess Latifa to Dubai as a "favour" to strengthen diplomatic relations. But what is India doing to preserve the rights of Indians in the UAE who have been subject to wrongful imprisonment and human rights violations? Of course the Indian government’s request to the UAE for the extradition of Christian Michel has to be understood in the context of India’s collaboration with

Last Sunday Australia’s most-watched and award winning television news program exposed the shocking story of Princess Latifa, daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai. Though it has been nearly 5 months since her dramatic escape from the Emirates and her subsequent tragic capture at the hands of UAE special forces and the Indian Coast Guard; the 60 Minutes broadcast brought Latifa’s story to for the first time to a ma