British citizen, 60 years old, was detained at Dubai Central Prison in connection to his son’s business debts. The man described tortured and witnessed the horrendous treatment of others prisoners.
He described also seeing others in prison take their lives before him.
Albert Douglas, originally from London, has fought a £1m legal battle to prove he was not liable for money owed by his son Wolfgang’s business.
Albert Douglas, his wife Naomi and their family emigrated from the United States to Dubai in 2003. He started Alomni Flooring which specialises in hardwood floors.
MailOnline heard Mr. Douglas say in a tape that he said, “Since being in UAE prison I have been beat and tortured by police because I asked for my heart medication.”
“My left shoulder is dislocated. I have three broken bones in my right hand. I also have permanent head- and back injuries.
“I had spent two days travelling through deserts in my van.
“I was forced to use a communal toilet bowl. Since May, I have not been allowed to take my heart medicine or receive any treatment for injuries.
Douglas spoke out about witnessing the systematic abuse against ‘African- and Asian prisoners simply because they are of different skin colours’.
A once wealthy man, who lived in a luxurious Villa on Palm Jumeriah Island with a Rolls Royce and owned countless other luxury items, claims that his only crime was to list his name on legal documents for the 2007 flooring business his son started.
Douglas (left) with Wolfgang, his son and two grandkids. After a judge found Douglas liable for the son’s debts, he was taken into custody in September 2019. He received a sentence of three years.
Dubai law makes it possible for anyone who is linked to a company and owes money to be held liable. Family members may also be pursued for payment.
The tape shows him saying that he was taken into custody earlier this year by authorities because he appeared to have signed a cheque for Abu Dhabi Finance. Douglas denies writing the cheque, and claims that forensic investigators already proved the signature not to be Douglas’s.
His son Wolfgang (34 years old) was in Britain at the time of company troubles. Creditors took Douglas to court, and won a judgment against him.
In September 2019, he was taken into custody The court found Douglas liable for the son’s debts, and sentenced him to three years. Mr Douglas was also ordered to pay £2.5m in fines.
Although he was already sentenced to two years, he will now spend three more years behind bars.
He stated that he was being interrogated for several hours by police to get him to admit to writing a check to Abu Dhabi Finance.
It’s all Arabic. They don’t have any idea.
“It was suggested by the public prosecutor that I just sign the check, or else they would say that I will stay there for very long. Which I did.”
Douglas claimed that he had been forced to make a promo video while being surrounded by officers after he finally received surgery on his left shoulder.
Douglas, his grandchild. According to a spokesperson for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, they have raised the case with the authorities and will be in touch with the family.
He said, “I wanted to express my gratitude for the way I was treated in Dubai by police,” he continued.
Douglas said that while he used to live a luxurious life, he now has everything.
Douglas and Naomi, a couple who immigrated to Dubai from Canada in 2003, started Alomni Flooring. It specialized in hardwood floors.
His business thrived in the midst of the enormous property boom that took place in the United Arab Emirates. Hotels and holiday homes turned the country into a premier tourist destination.
A father of four, Wolfgang was able to live a luxurious lifestyle in Dubai and convinced his oldest son to leave London for Dubai.
Timberwolf was started by Wolfgang, and Albert signed on as a signatory. Albert gave up all involvement in the business after which it ended.
He said, “I’ve lost all my possessions, everything’s gone.” “Bank accounts frozen. Stock gone. Warehouse was ransacked.
He appealed to MPs for help in addressing his grave situation as well as the other British prisoners in UAE jails facing terrible conditions.
He said: ‘I just don’t want other people to end up in the same situation. Do something. You don’t have to do it for your sake.
“People don’t have a chance.” These people have committed crimes, and need to be tried and convicted for them.
Baroness Janet Whitaker and Andy Slaughter, MP released a letter requesting the urgent diplomatic assistance Dominic Raab.
They asked him to contact his UAE counterpart for Mr Douglas’s return.
Radha Stirling (a lawyer for human rights and CEO of Detained Dubai) stated: “British courts refuse extradition to the UAE due to the “real danger of human rights violations or torture”, but the British government failed to warn people on its FCO travel advisory web site.
Picture of Mr Douglas and his family. He was a wealthy father who convinced his oldest son Wolfgang, a four-year-old boy to leave London to live in luxury.
The British government promotes trade, commerce and security as well as education projects. This is beyond belief.
“In my 13.5 years in Dubai Detention, I’ve met dozens of victims of torture from the UAE.
“Torture” is an unfortunate reality. We are currently preparing a detailed report.
“It’s unacceptable that the UK government, since Lee Bradley Brown’s death in custody by police, hasn’t issued harsher warnings or demanded better treatment for citizens.
“Albert Douglas,” who is still in prison, has joined Matthew Hedges and Lee Bradley Brown as well as Karam Al Sadeq, Karam Ligeska, Karam Osman, Princess Latifa, Artur Lieska, Karam El Sadeq, Karam Al Sadeq, and Princess Latifa with their complaints about brutality.
Radha Stirling, pictured, has urged the British government to ‘confront these ongoing issues’ and ‘ensure the safety of British nationals abroad’
“The UK should act quickly to return Albert Douglas home, and to take positive steps to protect British citizens abroad.
“This must also include travel warnings. The UAE cannot be promoted in media as modern tourist destinations and expats.
“If we don’t address these issues we’ll see more abuses and loss of lives.”
MailOnline received a statement from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office saying that it was supporting the British man who was arrested in Dubai. He had raised his case with UAE authorities and is in touch with his family back home.
“We seriously consider all accusations of torture and mistreatment. The UAE authorities have been contacted and we requested an investigation.