By special order of the Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, Jamie Harron has been freed. The cases against him have been dismissed, and the sentence imposed by the court yesterday has been nullified.
“We wish to express our deepest gratitude to Sheikh Mohammed for his personal intervention in this case, and for exonerating Jamie at long last. It has now been established that the allegations against Jamie were entirely unwarranted, defamatory, and meritless; to such an extent that the Ruler of the country found it necessary to step in and correct the wrongful action of the Public Prosecutor and to quash the judgment of the court. This was a courageous and honourable decision on the part of Sheikh Mohammed, and while it highlights the urgent need for judicial reform in the country, it is also a hopeful sign that the UAE’s leadership possesses the will and vision to pursue such reforms in the future,” Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, said today.
“When Jamie was called this morning by the police he was told that the case had been dismissed, and that he should come in to collect his passport”, Stirling explained. “He was understandably nervous; as similar calls from the police in other cases were merely tactics to lure individuals into police custody. But when Jamie arrived at the police station, his passport was returned, and he was told that he was free to go. The charges were dropped, the sentence annulled, and he faces no order for deportation. This came by direct order from Sheikh Mohammed.”
Stirling noted that ideally such intervention would not be necessary, but was grateful that the Dubai Ruler took the initiative. “Of course, a fully functional legal system would not require outside intervention, and a case like Jamie’s would never proceed in the first place. But we are enormously grateful to Sheikh Mohammed for stepping in and vindicating Jamie after months of hardship.
”It is expected that Jamie will initiate civil proceedings against his accusers, Emad Tabaza and the company he works for; Neuman & Esser; as the allegations against him have been definitively proven false and slanderous, and have caused him tremendous suffering and financial loss."