David Haigh torture in Dubai - another example of UAE prison brutality

David Haigh, the former managing director of Leeds United who was arrested and has been imprisoned in Dubai in the UAE since  May 2014, has revealed that he was beaten whilst in prison.

In an interview with BBC Newsnight to be aired on 7 April 2016 Mr Haigh will say that he experienced abuse and ill-treatment whilst in prison and suffered "5 serious episodes".

Unfortunately, David Haigh's case is not the only one of serious ill-treatment and torture. In a report to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2015, the UN Special Rapportuer on the Independence of Lawyers and Judges found that at least 200 cases of torture or ill-treatment of detainees had been brought before UAE courts - yet none had been investigated.

As the Emirati authorities have become increasingly repressive in their approach to law and order, the treatment of prisoners and detainees has become increasingly severe. Families have reported not being able to identify their releatives after periods of detention due to the severity of the torture. Detainees have described being beaten, facing verbal and physical abuse, threatened with sexual assault and many more forms of ill-treatment.

As evidenced by David Haigh's case, torture and ill treatment is not limited to UAE nationals and foreign nationals can easily be caught up in the oppressive nature of the judicial system in the UAE. A former Libyan detained in the UAE, Mohammad Al Aradi, described the torture as "systematic and trained".

David Haigh's treatment in the UAE, and whilst in prison, is deplorable and sadly all too commonplace for prisoners. The UAE have ignored numerous international calls to review its treatment of prisoners.