Coronavirus in the UAE: Some information on this website is out of date as a result of measures taken in the UAE to deal with the coronavirus crisis. Confirm with official or authoritative sources.

Dubai Police

Dubai Police and policemen do what police do in most countries. Try to keep the peace, arrest those suspected of criminal activities, help little old ladies across the road, and leave the cats stuck in trees for the Dubai Fire Department. Dubai Police occasionally ride horses (not camels) - you might see them trotting around suburban streets in the early hours of the morning when all good citizens are tucked up in bed and thieves prowl the dark city streets looking for trouble.

Dubai Police contact details

901 is the number to call for general police enquiries which are not emergencies.

• Al Ameen Service (available 24 hrs) is a confidential (allegedly) way to communicate with the Dubai Police about personal and neighbourhood community related issues. It is not the emergency service (for that, dial 999). The Al Ameen people will not help you choose which color tie to wear with your shirt, but can advise you if you have a complaint about someone dressed offensively in public. Service languages available are Arabic, English, Hindi, Malayalam. Service is for residents both expat and Emirati, visitors, tourists. Contact information:
  • Telephone (toll-free in UAE) 800-4888, or dial +971-800-4888 from oversease (not toll-free, check).
  • Fax (toll-free in UAE) 800-4888, or dial +971-800-4888 from overseas (not toll-free, check). Fax number also given as +971-4-2097777 (apparently toll-free but doesn't look like a toll-free number to us).
  • SMS (only in the UAE) send to: 4444.
  • Email: alameen@alameen.gov.ae.
  • Websites: www.alameen.ae and www.alameen.gov.ae, both the same, both in Arabic and English.
• 901 - number for general enquiries which are not emergencies.
• Operations room 24 hrs tel +971-4-2692222 - for police related enquiries which are not emergencies.
• [Check] Toll-free (in UAE) number 7000-4-0000. Check - normally UAE toll-free numbers start with 800.
• Report-a-dangerous-driver telephone 800-4-353 (toll-free in UAE).
• Email mail@dubaipolice.gov.ae.
• Sexual abuse and child abuse hotline tel +971-4-2661228, connects to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) (announced 26 June 2011). In the UAE, sex outside marriage is a criminal offense (so is adultery), so unfortunately there are occasional reports of alleged rape victims ending up being prosecuted and jailed for having sex outside marriage, especially in emirates other than Dubai.
• Human Rights Department Dubai Police:
  • Tel +971-4-6082629 - General Director of Department of Human Rights Care.
  • Toll-free (in UAE) 800-404040 - users complaint section.
  • Tel +971-4-6082305 or +971-4-6082304 - public complaints section.
• Emergency number tel 999. It's not to ask for directions, request a taxi, fix a blocked toilet, etc. Although apparently a substantial proportion of calls are made by people who think it is for just those sorts of things.

Reporting a crime in the UAE

None of this should be regarded as any sort of authoritative or official advice or comment. Treat it as biased observations and opinions from a small minority of people in the UAE (us, in case you're wondering who), on a par with coffee shop, bar, or BBQ expat gossip. For authoritative information, ask the Dubai Police, an embassy or consulate, or a lawyer. If you ask all three, don't be suprised if you get conflicting information.

• 12 April 2011 - The National carried a report entitled "Don't fear us, police chief tells expatriates" in which the Chief of Dubai Police, Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, was quoted as saying "It is tough being a stranger in a country. One might put up with many wrong things carried out against them, rather than report it to law enforcement authorities as they are scared of being questioned. We know this, as we tend to do the same when we are abroad - we do not want to come in contact with law enforcement authorities." A bit of a curious comment, depending on just who he is referring to when he says "we." If he means members of the UAE police forces then it sounds a little surprising that they would be reluctant to contact law enforcement authorities in other countries if necessary. However, although Lt Gen Dhahi might want to encourage residents not to be afraid of reporting "wrong things carried out against them," expats do sometimes believe they have good reason to fear reporting what they think are "wrong things" to the police ...
• Generally if a resident or visitor feels as though a crime has been committed, either against them or someone else, standard advice would be to contact the police to report the crime. However, expats especially have discovered that there are a number of possible crimes which seem to get the person reporting them in as much trouble as, or even more than, the alleged criminal. Some examples:
  • Reporting an employer for withholding employee property without authorisation, for example keeping passports in the UAE.
  • Reporting a rape or sexual assault - as sex outside marriage is a criminal offense in the UAE, some victims have discovered that the police seem to treat this as a more serious offence than the rape or assault. And since someone who has been raped has had sex outside marriage, unless it was their husband who did the raping, by reporting a rape, it can be seen as an admission of committing the crime of having sex out of wedlock.
  • Sexual molestation of children - there have been a couple of cases of 14 year old girls tried for indecent activities as a result of them having sex with significantly older adult men, which seems to indicate that the police and prosecutors do not regard 14 year olds as children.
  • Being drugged by someone - drug use in the UAE is treated strictly, with the apparently bizarre situation that if someone is unknowingly drugged by someone else with illegal drugs, although the perpetrator may well be punished, the complainant might also find themselves in jail, as one young lady discovered in November 2010. She was stuck in a cell for 5 months before being released on bail as a result of complaining to the police about being drugged. Apparently she herself provided the police with the incriminating evidence - the results of a blood test she took voluntarily because she felt dizzy after accepting a sweet from someone.
  • Assault of a non-sexual nature - it seems to be standard procedure for police to lock up everyone they perceive as being involved in a fight until they sort out who did what. That can sometimes mean an innocent victim ends up in the clink after reporting an attack, and even worse, in the same cell as an alleged attacker.
  • Alcohol - drinking alcohol is only legally permitted in the UAE in certain restricted situations. Being drunk or intoxicated in public is an offence, so if you've had a drink before reporting a crime of any sort, it is possible your drinking activity comes under investigation even if it is unrelated.
  • Reporting theft by a maid - if the maid was employed illegally (part-time from another sponsor for example), it's a bit of a lottery how things will turn out. The police could arrest the person reporting the theft, for illegal employment of the maid, and that might mean a large fine and jail sentence. The maid will also be in trouble of course for working illegally.
  • Reporting a burglary or theft when alcohol is in the house or apartment - many UAE residents don't have an alcohol licence. This is one situation which is a good reason for having one. If the police turn up to investigate the burglary and see your alcohol stash, they may or may not ask to see an alcohol licence. Our best guess is that it's unlikely otherwise we'd expect to have seen a much larger number of incidents reported, or talked about, along those lines. But it's still a risk.
  • Reporting road rage in the UAE or a variation on a theme. Especially incidents involving obscene hand gestures. There are anecdotal stories of expat residents discovering that they are in trouble for agressive activities that they thought they were on the receiving end of.
  • Reporting a road accident as a witness. Again, urban legend indicates that sometimes the police blame the person reporting the incident for causing an accident, even if the witness thinks they did not have any involvement in the incident, and were just trying to be a good citizen by calling the police.
  • Rendering medical assistance after an accident (road or otherwise). Most people find it difficult to ignore someone in need of assistance, but in the UAE, if someone dies after a traffic accident, or drowns, or is in another situation that results in what appears to be accidental death, expat urban legends are that it seems that the police will take in the last person to have contact with the person to determine whether or not they could be held responsible for the death. On the face of it, this seems to be a reasonable scenario, but anecdotal stories and comments are that the conclusion is surprising and/or takes a long time to determine (while the good samaritan is held at the police station).
• In any country, the police and the justice system invariably have a difficult job sorting out conflicting stories and wondering who to believe when someone is obviously lying, so it's understandable that they don't always get it right. Whether expats in the UAE really are victimised, or whether they are just being overly sensitive is difficult to figure out, but if some of the more sensationalist stories in the international press are to be believed, along with coffee shop and pub gossip, Dubai sounds like a wild lawless place that visitors would be well advised to stay away from. However, the number of residents and visitors who happily live in and visit Dubai and the UAE seems to contradict that overly broad generalisation.
• Our suggestion is to tread carefully, try not to offend anyone, especially anyone with more wasta than you, and enjoy your time in the UAE. And with respect to the law, developing fluency in Arabic is always useful.

Financial crimes and fraud

• Both expats and Emiratis, especially during the financial crisis and Dubai bust from around 2007 onwards, have ended up in jail with quite long sentences (years, even decades for some) for the crime of financial fraud. This is usually as a result of writing a check that bounced (even for small amounts). If you do that, then the cheque recipient can file a complaint with the police, who can then arrest you.
• Banks often resort to this as a result of non-payment of credit card debts (usually the applicant has handed over a blank signed cheque as a security guarantee to the bank).
• Unfortunately for those locked up in debtor's prison, even after completing their sentence, if the debt hasn't been paid off, they're stuck in jail until it is.
• This doesn't just apply to personal cheques, company employees with signing authority have ended up in jail for writing company cheques that bounced.

Dubai Police updates and news

New name of Dubai Police Chief - appointment

• 23 Nov 2013 (PR) - Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina (Matar Al Muzeina, Al Mazeinah) promoted from deputy chief to Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police. Appointment made by decree of Sheikh Mohammad, Ruler of Dubai. Maj Gen Al Mazeina, an Emirati citizen, became a police officer in 1983, joined the Anti-Narcotics Department in 1993, became director of the Criminal Investigation Section in 1997, was appointed General Department of Criminal Investigation director in 2002, promoted to Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police in 2008.
• 21 Oct 2013 (PR) - Dubai Police head, Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, was promoted to the position of Deputy Chairman of Police and General Security in Dubai by decree of Shaikh Mohammed, Ruler of Dubai. Information about new chief not supplied.
  • Lt Gen Tamim was born in Dubai in 1951, received a diploma in Police Science in 1970 from the Royal Police Academy of Amman in Jordan, joined Dubai Police after that, was appointed as deputy commander in chief of Dubai Police in 1979 and promoted to commander-in-chief in 1980.

Dubai Police facilities

Dubai Police services

List of Dubai Police stations in Dubai city

• Al Qusais (Al Ghusais)
• Al Rifaa
• Bur Dubai
• Jebel Ali
• Muraqqabat (Murraqabbat)
• Nad Al Sheba (Nadd Al Sheba)
• Naif
• Port Rashid
• Rashidiya (Rashidiyah)
• Zabeel (moved to Nad Al Sheba)

List of Dubai Police stations in Dubai emirate (not in Dubai city)

• Al Faqah (Al Faqa)
• Hatta
• Lehbab

Dubai CID

What to do if arrested in Dubai

This is not legal advice, nor is it meant to be. It's an opinion based on our experiences and anecdotal stories. Ask a lawyer in Dubai or the police for authoritative and/or official advice but keep in mind their priorities or biases when talking to them (similar to most countries). A lawyer does a job in the expectation of being paid for it - usually the more time they spend on your case, the more money they get. The police are interested in solving crimes and catching criminals. Their definition of solving a crime and catching a criminal might not be the same as yours but might involve you in a way you did not expect or want.

• Try and stay calm, say as little as possible without getting advice from a lawyer whom you trust, and don't demand your rights if you don't know what they are. For relatively minor offences, a polite attitude is more likely to smooth the way for you than being abrasive and arrogant. That's probably true anywhere, but it seems to be especially the case in the UAE. For more severe offences, your attitude probably won't make as much difference.
• Don't offer bribes (yes, we've heard stories of people successfully bribing their way out of trouble, but it seems to us that it's more likely to get you into worse trouble).
• Contact a lawyer, or ask a friend to contact a lawyer, as soon as possible. Especially if you don't speak Arabic. The official language of the UAE is Arabic, so legal proceedings are conducted in Arabic.
• Get a good lawyer - we don't think it's appropriate for us to make recommendations here but there are a number of firms with a good reputation. There are also a large number of stories floating around the coffee shops and bars of what sounds like poor lawyering. Contact your embassy or consulate for a list - there is a better chance of getting a good lawyer than just selecting one at random.
• Contact, or try to get a friend to contact, your embassy or consulate in the UAE. The diplomats won't do much, if anything, to get you out of jail or come to your defense (that's not what they are there for), but they can sometimes visit you, should be able to supply a list of lawyers, and might help with communication channels to family back home.
• In the UAE, guilt or innocence, and punishment, is decided by a judge, not a jury. So the potential for personal bias influencing the outcome is much greater than with a jury system. Finding a lawyer with more wasta is probably useful.
• If you have been detained at a police station, you might be released pending a trial if you can deposit your passport with the police, or if a friend will deposit their passport as a guarantee. Note that if you deposit your passport for a friend who has been detained, and they do a runner, then you will be in a sticky situation to say the least. You probably won't be arrested but you will be stuck in the UAE until you get your passport back, which could take a long time. This has happened occasionally.
• Most police in Dubai will speak a degree of English but are unlikely to be fluent to the same degree as a native English speaker.
• Try to avoid admitting to anything, or signing any documents that you don't understand. At least not until someone you trust has explained them to you.
• There are mixed reports of people detained being pressured or forced into signing documents under duress. How believable those reports are is difficult to determine, especially when the police say nothing of the sort happens - which is what you'd expect a police department to say anywhere, but of course is also difficult to believe.

Examples of when things go wrong, then from bad to worse, then to don't you wish you'd stayed at home that morning ...

• 10 Oct 2008 and 23 Oct 2008 (media reports) - a Canadian lady on a 15 hour stopover in Dubai on 01 October 2008 reportedly had a disagreement or argument with a senior immigration official at Dubai Airport (some reports say on arrival, but other reports say on departure) possibly because she exited the airport during a stopover but that's not normally a problem in the UAE for those who can get a visit visa on arrival). During her time in Dubai she apparently had dinner and a few drinks. When she went back to the airport, she was told there was a problem with her passport and would she walk this way please ... which resulted in her being questioned and subsequently arrested and charged with an offence related to her earlier disagreement (disrepecting an official or making rude hand gestures, or something like that - reports vary). She was also charged with being drunk in public or drinking without an alcohol licence (story varies there too ... or the charge was changed). She spent a night in jail, and another 3 weeks in Dubai waiting for a court case for the alcohol related charge (it seems as if the other charge/charges were dropped), where she was fined AED 1000 or so and had her passport returned. The alcohol charge is particularly unfortunate, since it is not even possible for visitors to obtain an alcohol licence in Dubai, and the original point of restricting licenced outlets to hotels was so that tourists and visitors could drink there.

Dubai Traffic Police

What to do if stopped by Dubai Traffic Police

Dubai Metro Police

CSI Dubai

Deaths and injuries, and other events in Dubai Police custody and Dubai prisons and jails

More hunger strikes in Dubai jails and UAE

• 13 Aug 2012 - AP reported that the Emirates Center for Human Rights (based in the UK, not the UAE) said two lawyers who had been detained in July 2012 as part of a crackdown on political dissidents in the UAE, have gone on hunger strike to protest their "illegal detention". AP reported that the two lawyers were in an undisclosed location, so it wasn't clear how anyone knew that they were on hunger strike. There have been apparently up to 54 people detained as part of the crackdown according to reports in the international press. Local UAE newspapers are reporting very little, other than occasional comments from UAE authorities along the lines of suppressing activities by people who intend to do harm to the UAE. For example, on 05 Aug 2012, the UAE Attorney General, Ali Salim Al-Tenaiji, was quoted by WAM (Emirates News Agency) as saying "Initial investigations and confessions of the suspects revealed plans which jeopardize the security of the state, as well as ties between the organization's members and suspicious foreign parties and organizations," and the report also said The Attorney General warned against false news reports and unfair rumors being spread by parties who seek to influence the fair investigations into the case.

Hunger striking in Dubai prisons ... continued or different from April 2012

• The CEO of Deyaar Development was arrested and jailed in 2008, reportedly or allegedly for crimes related to financial fraud or embezzlement of Deyaar money. He went on a hunger strike in May 2012 (14 May 2012?) to protest something or highlight his case (after 4 years in jail he had still not been brought to trial, reportedly), stopped his hunger strike in early July 2012 (05 July 2012 news report) and was released on bail later in July 2012. He is an American citizen and there was speculation that the US had pressured the UAE into doing something regarding this case. After his release, he disappeared, then reappeared in Yemen, where he was arrested pending extradition back to the UAE. The summary is deliberately vague since there are conflicting reports all over the news, so we don't know what is accurate and what isn't.
• 06 Sep 2012 - WAM reported that Dubai Attorney General Essam Al Humaidan said US business Zack Shaheen will face charges for illegally leaving the country. Following the arrest in Yemen and return to the UAE of the accused. Presumably the report meant "businessman" rather than "business". But what was more unusual than a minor typo was that the person was named - usually those facing legal proceedings (or convicted) are just given initials and a nationality in the UAE press. Something to do with libel laws in the UAE.

Hunger strike in Dubai jail - April 2012

• 24 Apr 2012 - WAM news reported that there were no hunger striking prisoners in Dubai - Acting Commander General of Dubai Police Major General Khamis Matar Al Mazina has denied a British newspaper report that 20 prisoners in Dubai staged a hunger strike. He described the report as "untrue and unsubstantiated", saying that the services at Dubai Police's Punitive & Correctional facilities are provided in strict compliance with international standards.
• 24 Apr 2012 - the number of hunger strikers might be 40 according to prisoner comments reported in The National, all of them in for financial crimes. But the same report also said the original hunger striker might stop or might have stopped. Apparently British Embassy officials met the hunger strikers to persuade them to stop. The report also said Yesterday, the prison official Brig Omar Al Attar said the rumours of spreading strike action were unfounded and an issue with “a single inmate” had been resolved.
• 23 Apr 2012 - about 30 inmates are on hunger strike according to a report in the Financial Times (UK).
• 21 Apr 2012 - the number of hunger strike prisoners doubled to 2 according to a report in 7 Days (7 Days in Dubai) when a Belgian property developer started hunger striking, and another 70 inmates are planning to start hunger striking.
• 18 Apr 2012 - The National reported further on the Irish businessman, saying he started his hunger strike on 16 April 2012, and that he was serving a 6 year sentence. He had been jailed because cheques he had written to contractors for the company he was a managing partner of, had bounced. The National also reported that one of the contractors who didn't receive money owed (AED 58 million), had had to close his business as a result.
• 17 Apr 2012 - The Sun newspaper (UK) had a story about an Irish businessman in Dubai Central Prison in Dubai who went on a hunger strike after being locked up for 7 months. The report said "it is understood that embassy officials in Abu Dhabi are liaising" with the detainee.
• 02 Apr 2012 - Gulf News reported the story of a Lebanese businessman who started a hunger strike a week earlier to protest his continued detention despite completing his jail sentence a year ago. He was sentenced in 2006 to 2 years in prison followed by deportation for a financial crime but the civil court imposed a travel ban on him until he repaid the debt. He was quoted as saying "After completing my jail term, the civil court ordered to deport me, but I was kept in jail because of a travel ban over the pending settlement of my debts. My case was referred to the Deportation and Travel Ban Resolution Committee in Dubai for review in 2010. The court ordered to release me twice in 2010 and in 2011. My case is still in the hands of the committee waiting for a decision to be taken." Judge Ahmad Saif, Chief of Justice of the Dubai Civil Court and head of the Travel Ban and Deportation Committee, was quoted by Gulf News as saying that the businessman's case "is being reviewed by the committee and we will sort out his issue as soon as possible"

British tourist allegedly beaten to death

• On 14 April 2011, there were reports that a British national, Lee Bradley Brown, had died while in police custody in Dubai after being arrested on 09 April 2011. The charges were related to an incident at the Burj Al Arab hotel where Mr Brown had been staying, involving some combination of abuse, assault, drunkenness depending on which report you read.
• The Daily Mail (DM), a UK newspaper well-known for sensationalism, reported that "Police sources say he was 'badly beaten up' by a group of police officers, leaving him unconscious on the floor" but without clarifying just which police sources told them that. Later in the same report, the DM claimed another prisoner had witnessed the alleged beating and phoned the sister of the victim. Which is probably not what most people understand by the term "police source." The inmate supposedly found Mr Brown's sister's phone number on a passport photocopy left in the cell.
• The DM also said that "Bur Dubai police station is a notoriously violent place where beatings, starvation, rape and the force-feeding of drugs is common-place." But did not substantiate this claim.
• On 15 April 2011, the Gulf News, a Dubai newspaper well-known for its reluctance to publish anything critical of Dubai, reported that the Dubai Attorney General, Eisam Al Humaidan, said "The forensic report attributed Brown's death to asphyxia. The deceased choked on his own vomit. The report also pointed to traces of hashish in his blood and urine samples," apparently absolving the Dubai Police of any blame for the death of Mr Brown, and making no reference to any evidence of torture or beatings.
• The GN pointed out that Al Humaidan stressed that Dubai Police treats all its detainees in the context of human rights and human integrity.
• The report also said Mr Brown was arrested on Saturday 09 April 2011 after attacking and attempting to throw a housekeeper off the balcony of the Burj Al Arab hotel where he was staying. This was apparently confirmed by the hotel.
• The British Embassy in Dubai said "We are also in constant contact with the family and are providing consular support at this time." Whatever that means. Anecdotal stories in Dubai pubs and coffee shops usually emphasise the lack of consular support in the UAE. Then again, another report quoted a spokesperson as saying "The Consul General has spoken directly to the Dubai police at the highest level on a number of times to stress the importance of a full investigation. The police have assured us that they are investigating and we are remaining in close touch with them." Although the height of the "highest level" was not given.
• However, a later report in The Telegraph (UK) on 15 April 2011 indicated that the embassy was getting more involved, saying that Guy Warrington, the British Consul General, spoke to Lt General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, the Dubai police chief, several times to “stress the importance” of a full and open investigation into the death. Officials raised concerns for the safety of a four unnamed Britons being housed in the jail amid fears they are in danger because they blew the whistle on the beating. The incident risked turning into a diplomatic crisis for Dubai after consular officials from Australia and Canada also demanded access to their nationals currently held at the centre. The Daily Telegraph has learned officials want to check for signs of physical abuse and take a statement from every prisoner who was in custody at the time of his death.
• On 17 April 2011, Gulf News quoted the Dubai Police Chief, Lt Gen Dahi Khalfan Tamim, as saying "I am sure that no one used force against the dead tourist who was in police custody because he attacked a housekeeper at the Burj Al Arab Hotel on Saturday. We tried to bring the man under control. He was outraged and violent with the police and public prosecutor offices." He was also quoted in the same report as saying "We are not trying to hide any facts, and British citizens inside and outside the UAE must realise the police of Dubai Police are fair. We give people their rights and hold those who commit mistakes responsible." A second autopsy was under way.
• The Telegraph (UK) quoted the police chief in a 17 April 2011 report as saying "Dubai Police policy is known to be transparent and we will not hesitate to ensure our own officers face justice and punishment if we believe that they used violence against prisoners." A similar comment was quoted in a 7 Days report on 18 April 2011 - "Dubai Police didn't beat him and we didn't put him in an isolated cell. We would not hesitate to take action against officers if we believed that they used violence against prisoners."
• After the second post-mortem examination, there were reports that the Brit had indeed been in a struggle with the police, but that was because it was claimed he had been resisting arrest. He was also apparently attempting damage the bars and floor of his cell with his head according to police reports. And anyway, the coroner said that none of the injuries he sustained could have caused his death. According to news reports 18-19 April 2011, a statement from the Dubai Attorney General, Essam / Issam Issa Al Humaidan, said that "There are no external injuries or marks of apparent illness that caused the death." The AG also said that the investigation was still continuing.
• Four other British prisoners in the same jail apparently do not want to be transferred despite a request made by the British Consulate after news was first reported of the death. The National reported on 18 April 2011 that Officials at the British Embassy in Dubai said they had spoken to the prisoners and have now withdrawn a request for them to be transferred for their wellbeing and safety from cells in the Bur Dubai station, an embassy spokesman said yesterday.

Dubai prison guards assaulting prisoners

• In April 2008, in the Dubai Court of First Instance, a prison director, a senior police officer, 3 lieutenants, and 21 policemen all pleaded not guilty to charges of abuse of authority, and assaulting prisoners at the Dubai Central Prison. The charges were related to accusations of prisoners being beaten, resulting in 7 of them sustaining permanent disabilities according to one report (GN 29 June 2008).
• Gulf News (GN) reported 06 April 2008 that one of the prisoners brought by the Public Prosecution as a witness, said in court that "Men in black masks and some of the wardens assaulted us violently. Doctors fixed a metal chip to my spinal cord after a major back operation at Rashid Hospital," and a Dubai Police Major who had investigated the case said "Through our findings and what we saw in the digital recordings, we established the senior officer planned and supervised the incident. A number of officers helped him,"
• The defense presented several witnesses, also inmates, who claimed that the beating stories were made up, with one of them reportedly saying "A.M. is the one who asked the inmates to complain ... he asked inmates to say 'this is our chance, we should say they hit us to get better food' "
• Gulf News 15 June 2008 reported that one of the defense lawyers said "The suspects didn't abuse their powers or beat the prisoners but they only scared them to prevent them from getting rid of any forbidden substance." And another one said ... "All the charges were baseless .... The anti-rioti police squad, which conducted the search, are ... trained."
• On 29 June 2008 the accused were convicted in the Dubai Court of First Instance and given jail sentences of 3 or 6 months each. The verdict was appealed.
• The 12 assulted inmates subsequently made a claims for compensation in the civil court. On 26 June 2008 one of them died while still in prison according to a GN report 29 June 2008.
• On 18 November 2008, the Dubai Court of Appeal gave the accused suspended jail sentences as long as the crime wasn't repeated. One of the defense lawyers said, according to a GN report 18 November 2008, that "The prosecution witness and inmates gave contradicting statements, upon which the Court of First Instance based its ruling... doctors from the prison and police's headquarters failed to confirm that the Armenian sustained his disability due to beating, meanwhile several inmates confirmed that he fell from the stairs." The verdict was going to be appealed at the Dubai Court of Cassation.
• In December 2009 it was reported that one of the convicts, who claimed to have suffered a 10% disability as a result of the alleged assaults, had filed a lawsuit in the Civil Court of Dubai against the Dubai Police General Headquarters and the convicted prison staff for AED 5 million in damages.

Dubai Police history

• 19 Sep 1995 - Dubai Police Human Rights Section founded
• 1973 - Dubai Police Headquarters moved to Al Twar (Al Towar) location on Al Ittihad Road (Dubai-Sharjah highway / Al Etihad Street)
• 01 Jun 1956 - Dubai Police force established in Naif Fort in Deira (still operating as a police station in 2008). Founded by Peter H Clayton (a UK national, also known as Sultan Bin Hamis in the UAE). He died at the age of 83 on 19 July 2011.

Dubai Police Museum

Dubai Police and Dubai Public Prosecution case file search

• To find details of police reports, court cases, and public prosecution records, try the Dubai Public Prosecution website, www.dxbpp.gov.ae, and click on either "Inquiry by case number" or "Inquiry by report number" under E-services > Customer Services menus.

Last update Saturday 24-Jan-2015. Page development 3D 4L 5C.

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