United Nations human rights experts have raised alarms regarding the potential torture of a 72-year-old British national, Ryan Cornelius, who has been detained in the United Arab Emirates for 18 years. The experts are urging the UAE government to release Cornelius immediately, highlighting that his continued imprisonment may violate international human rights law.
Cornelius was arrested in 2008 on allegations of defrauding the Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), charges he has consistently denied. His detention was extended by 20 years in 2018, with authorities claiming he still had outstanding debts. However, human rights experts noted that civil proceedings in Bahrain reportedly found in 2020 that Cornelius had not only repaid his debt but had overpaid the amount due. International human rights law prohibits imprisonment for the enforcement of civil debt, the experts stated.
The UN experts, including Alice Jill Edwards, the special rapporteur on torture, and Zvezdan Pirtosek, who specializes in the human rights of older persons, also expressed concern over reports that Cornelius was held in solitary confinement for approximately seven weeks. They warned that isolation for more than 15 consecutive days could constitute torture.
"Emirati authorities must take immediate steps to ensure that Cornelius receives appropriate medical care and must remove, without further delay, any remaining obstacles to his release," the experts said. They have also contacted the UAE and UK governments to seek a diplomatic resolution.
Cornelius completed his original prison sentence in 2018, but remains incarcerated due to the extended sentence, which the experts described as imposed under "serious judicial irregularities." The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has previously found his detention to be arbitrary.
His family has expressed grave concerns about his health and well-being. His wife, Heather Cornelius, has made repeated pleas for his release, writing to UAE Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. She stated that the family has lost all their possessions and that their children have been deprived of their father for nearly two decades. "My husband will be 72 years old next month. In May, he will have served eighteen full years in prison," she wrote in March. "Advancing years and the cumulative effects of prison life have left him in poor health and constant pain."
Despite family pleas for clemency submitted during annual release windows in the UAE, there has been no indication of progress. The UAE government has previously stated that all due processes were followed in Cornelius's case and that his sentence was lawfully extended. They also asserted that all prisoners receive necessary medical care and that the UAE judicial system is independent and equitable.
The UK Foreign Office has confirmed it is continuing to raise Mr. Cornelius's case with UAE authorities and is providing consular support to him and his family.