United Nations human rights experts have raised concerns that a 72-year-old British national, Ryan Cornelius, may have been subjected to torture during his 18-year detention in the United Arab Emirates. The experts are calling for his immediate release.
Cornelius was detained in 2008 on charges of defrauding the Dubai Islamic Bank, allegations he denies. In 2018, his detention was extended by an additional 20 years, with authorities citing outstanding debts. This extension has drawn scrutiny, particularly as civil proceedings in Bahrain reportedly concluded in 2020 that Cornelius had repaid the debt, with payments exceeding the amount owed.
UN experts, including Alice Jill Edwards, the special rapporteur on torture, and Zvezdan Pirtosek, who specializes in the human rights of older persons, stated that international human rights law does not permit imprisonment to enforce a civil debt. They noted that Cornelius completed his original prison sentence in 2018 but remains incarcerated following the extended sentence, which they described as imposed in proceedings marked by significant judicial irregularities. The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has previously found his detention to be arbitrary.
Reports that Cornelius was held in solitary confinement for approximately seven weeks have also prompted warnings from the experts that such isolation, if exceeding 15 consecutive days, could constitute torture. They have urged Emirati authorities to ensure Cornelius receives appropriate medical care and to remove any impediments to his release.
The experts have engaged with the governments of the UAE and the UK to seek a diplomatic resolution. Cornelius's wife, Heather, previously wrote to UAE Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, pleading for clemency. She highlighted her husband's deteriorating health due to his prolonged incarceration and the family's financial ruin, stating they had nothing left after pledging all assets as security for the loan.
Heather Cornelius described how their family has been separated for years, with her own health suffering from the ordeal. She emphasized that eighteen years of their family life have been lost and appealed for mercy to allow them to spend whatever remaining time they have together.
Family pleas for clemency submitted during Ramadan, Eid al-Adha, and the UAE National Day since January 2023, reportedly with covering letters from the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, have thus far been unheeded.
In response to previous inquiries, a UAE government spokesperson stated that Ryan Cornelius's trial and sentence extension were conducted in accordance with UAE law, asserting the independence and equity of the UAE judicial system. They also affirmed that all prisoners receive necessary medical care.
A UK Foreign Office spokesperson confirmed that the UK government continues to raise Cornelius's case with Emirati authorities and provide consular support to him and his family.