December 2nd 2024.
Ryan Cornelius, a British national, has been incarcerated in a Dubai prison for more than 16 years. While many people around the United Arab Emirates will be celebrating the country's National Day, known as Eid Al Etihad, Ryan will not be among them. Despite speaking to his family on a daily basis, he has been unable to physically embrace them for the past four years and has been deprived of his freedom for 16 long years.
Ryan, who is now 70 years old, was arrested in 2008 during a layover at Dubai Airport and subsequently convicted of fraud. The United Nations has deemed his case as "arbitrary," but he has served his initial 10-year sentence. However, in 2018, the courts in the UAE extended his sentence by 20 more years, meaning he will not be eligible for release until 2038. The reason for this extended sentence is that Ryan has been accused of breaking the terms of a £372 million loan from the Dubai Islamic State Bank. As a result, his family has raised concerns about the lack of intervention from the UK government due to their close economic ties with the UAE.
Brother-in-law Chris Paget, 72, expressed his frustration with the government's lack of action, stating that they have only made "repeated limp expressions of concern." He also shared that when Foreign Secretary David Lammy visited the UAE, he did not even bring up Ryan's case. Chris believes that the government needs to show more toughness in situations like these.
So, what exactly is Ryan accused of and is his detention illegal? Heather Cornelius, Ryan's wife, has been tirelessly campaigning for his release. Ryan has been charged with theft from a public body and sentenced to 10 years in prison after a retrial. He has also been ordered to repay the balance of the loan, as well as a £396 million fine. However, his assets, including his home in London, have been seized, making it impossible for him to pay back the loan. In May 2018, his sentence was extended by 20 years due to a new policy that states prisoners must serve another 20 years if they cannot settle their debts.
In 2022, a UN working group declared Ryan's detention as "arbitrary," and he is one of many British citizens being held arbitrarily abroad. Tory MP Alicia Kearns, the shadow minister for foreign affairs, has spoken out about the "industrialisation" of taking British citizens as hostages for leverage in state-to-state relations. In response, the UAE defended Ryan's detention, claiming that he illegally obtained the loan by bribing staff members at the Dubai Islamic Bank and that he failed to repay the creditor, which is in line with their laws.
Ryan's family has been vocal about their distress over his situation. They were finally able to speak to Hamish Falconer, the minister for the Middle East, months after Labour entered power. Heather described their conversation as devastating, stating that Hamish did not have a plan or a grasp on the severity of the situation. She also expressed her disappointment in the lack of action from both Labour and Conservative governments. Despite the difficult circumstances, Heather tries to remain positive and hopeful, but she admits that her husband's spirits have been dampened by the long years of imprisonment. Their focus has always been their children, and they continue to hold onto the hope that this ordeal will come to an end.
Ryan Cornelius has been deprived of his freedom for more than 16 years in the United Arab Emirates. While millions of people celebrate the National Day of UAE, also known as Eid Al Etihad, Ryan sits in Al Awir Jail on the outskirts of Dubai without any hope of being released anytime soon. It is a stark contrast to the festive atmosphere that surrounds the country on this special day.
For Ryan, a British national, this is the fourth year that he will not be able to celebrate Eid with his family. He speaks to them every day, but it has been four years since he last hugged them and felt the warmth of their love. At the age of 70, he has not been a free man for the past 16 years. His arrest in Dubai Airport during a layover in 2008 led to his conviction for fraud in a case that has been deemed 'arbitrary' by the United Nations. He served his initial 10-year sentence, but the courts extended it by 20 years in 2018, making him ineligible for release until 2038.
The reason for this extended sentence is the £372million loan that Ryan is accused of breaking the terms of, from the Dubai Islamic State Bank. The UK Consulate has been providing support to Ryan during his time in jail, but his family is worried about the lack of intervention from their government due to close economic ties with the UAE. Ryan's brother-in-law, Chris Paget, expressed his disappointment in the government's inaction, stating that they have only made "limp expressions of concern" and have not raised Ryan's case during official visits to the UAE.
Ryan's wife, Heather Cornelius, has been campaigning for his release, highlighting the unfairness of his detention. He was initially accused of breaking the terms of the loan but was acquitted due to a lack of evidence. However, after a retrial, he was charged with theft from a public body and sentenced to 10 years in prison. The court also ordered him to repay the loan balance, which he is unable to do as his assets, including his home in London, were seized. In May 2018, his sentence was extended by another 20 years under a new policy stating that if a prisoner cannot settle their debt, they must serve additional time. This extension was deemed 'arbitrary' by a UN working group.
The UK government has been criticized for not doing enough to help Ryan and other Brits who are being held arbitrarily abroad. Tory MP Alicia Kearns stated that there is now a trend of taking British citizens as hostages for leverage in state-to-state relations. The UAE, however, defends Ryan's detention, claiming that he illegally obtained the loan by bribing bank staff.
Ryan's family has expressed their frustration and disappointment with the government's response to his case. His wife, Heather, had a conversation with the minister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer, and was left devastated by his lack of a plan or understanding of the severity of the situation. She believes that regardless of which political party is in power, this is a deeply distressing human story that demands action.
Despite the challenges, Heather and her family have remained hopeful and focused on their children. However, the constant uncertainty and lack of progress have taken a toll on Ryan's positivity. He speaks to his family once a day, but it is not the same as being able to hug them and be physically present with them. As Heather says, "this is going to come to an end," and they continue to hold onto that hope.
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