Demands Grow for Sanctions Over British Man Detained in Dubai for 17 Years


UK – Independent, July 15, 2025

Ryan Cornelius has been detained in Dubai since 2008

The Foreign Secretary has faced urgent calls to sanction those responsible for the detention of a British man in Dubai for the past 17 years.

MPs and peers have urged David Lammy to publicly call for the release of Ryan Cornelius, now 71, who was detained for 10 years in 2008 as part of a bank fraud case.

The detention was then extended by 20 years in 2018.

A group of 15 parliamentarians, led by Sir Iain Duncan Smith, said the case of Ryan Cornelius was a “flagrant example of arbitrary detention and abuse of power”.

A UN working group has found he is subject to arbitrary detention and last week the European Parliament passed a resolution condemning his detention in “inhumane conditions” and calling for his “immediate and unconditional release”.

Read More

YOU MAY READ

A Birthday Without His Presence
On every birthday, Min Zin typically reflects back on his life's journey and shares commemorative posts containing his deep thoughts on his social media. This year, we will not have the opportunity to read his new reflections. Spending his birthday silently in unseen darkness while being wrongfully detained is heartbreaking and deeply saddening for his family and friends.
READ MORE →
Motorbike Ride Marks 614 Days in Iran Prison
The detention of a couple held in Iran "should shock people" as their time being held reaches over 600 days, their family has said.
READ MORE →
See more