The family of British national Ryan Pepper is raising concerns over his alleged torture and prolonged detention in a United Arab Emirates (UAE) facility, seven months after his arrest at Dubai Airport on November 3, 2025. According to his sister, Chloe Pepper, her brother has endured significant physical and psychological abuse, including having teeth pulled, prolonged sleep deprivation, and being forced to sign documents in Arabic under duress.
Mr. Pepper, a father of two from Ashford, Kent, has not been formally charged and his family states he does not know the specific offenses he is accused of. This uncertainty has caused severe distress to his loved ones, who fear for his life. He was reportedly held with at least 14 other detainees, eight of whom were British, at the Sharjah detention center. Reports from Mr. Pepper detail alleged mistreatment including being blindfolded, gagged, stripped, beaten, and sexually assaulted. He also described being held in small rooms, dubbed "Zamzam rooms," used for punishment, where CCTV cameras were allegedly turned off.
Family members have struggled to obtain consistent information about Mr. Pepper's whereabouts. His sister described discovering his arrest through his Snapchat location and later receiving a panicked call on June 9, indicating the group was being moved to an undisclosed location. For a week, his family and authorities were unaware of his status. They were eventually informed by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) that he was in Sharjah Central Prison, but details regarding charges remain elusive.
Ms. Pepper has taken the lead in advocating for her brother, with support from organizations like Detained in Dubai, as other family members found the situation too difficult to manage. She described feeling constantly sick and experiencing significant weight loss due to stress.
Mr. Pepper moved to Dubai in May 2025 to work as a sales officer. His family reported having no contact with him for six months following his arrest until a call in May, during which he described the alleged torture. In a voice note, he reportedly stated that he and other detainees were threatened with severe violence if they refused to sign documents written entirely in Arabic, none of which they understood or received translations for.
The FCDO confirmed it is supporting a British man detained in the UAE and is in contact with his family, while continuing to raise the case directly with local authorities. The family is appealing for assistance from the UK government, emphasizing that if Mr. Pepper has committed an offense, he deserves a judicial process and should not be subjected to torture.