UN Experts Urge UAE to Release Detained British Businessman

Ryan Cornelius was arrested in Dubai in May 2008 in connection with a financing dispute and was convicted in 2011, receiving a 10-year prison sentence.

United Nations human rights experts have called on the United Arab Emirates to immediately release 72-year-old British businessman Ryan Cornelius, saying his continued imprisonment after completing his original sentence raises serious concerns about his health, safety and fundamental rights. The experts warned that his prolonged detention, combined with reports of declining health and poor prison conditions, could place his life at risk.

Concerns over extended detention

Ryan Cornelius was arrested in Dubai in May 2008 in connection with a financing dispute and was convicted in 2011, receiving a 10-year prison sentence. According to the UN experts, he completed that sentence in 2018 but remained in custody after authorities imposed an additional 20-year prison term linked to an alleged unpaid debt.

The experts said the proceedings that led to the sentence extension were marked by serious judicial irregularities. They also noted that the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention had previously determined that Cornelius' continued detention was arbitrary under international human rights law.

They further pointed to civil proceedings in Bahrain, which reportedly concluded in 2020 that assets and payments transferred to the lender had already settled the debt in full and even exceeded the amount owed.

Health and prison conditions raise alarm

The UN experts expressed deep concern about reports that Cornelius' physical and mental health has steadily deteriorated during his imprisonment. Given his age and the length of his detention, they said immediate action is needed to prevent irreversible harm.

Reports received by the experts indicate that Cornelius has faced inadequate medical care, overcrowded prison conditions, poor nutrition and limited opportunities for exercise. They also raised concerns that he was held in solitary confinement for approximately seven weeks, noting that prolonged solitary confinement lasting more than 15 consecutive days may amount to torture under international standards.

The experts also referred to allegations that Cornelius was pressured into signing documents stating that his human rights were being respected.

Call for immediate action

The experts stressed that while Cornelius remains in custody, the Emirati authorities have a legal obligation to protect his life, health and dignity. They called for immediate access to appropriate medical treatment and urged authorities to remove any remaining barriers preventing his release.

They also reaffirmed that international human rights law does not support imprisonment as a means of enforcing a civil debt, describing the continued detention as inconsistent with internationally recognised legal principles.

Diplomatic efforts continue

The UN experts said they have been in contact with both the Governments of the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, encouraging them to work together to reach a diplomatic solution that would bring Cornelius' detention to an end.

The case has drawn renewed international attention as concerns grow over his health and the legal basis for his continued imprisonment more than eight years after he completed his original prison sentence.