The Family of Ryan Cornelius Interviewed on BBC London News

IHR-Advisors on the BBC London News on 14 July 2022

The family of Ryan Cornelius were interviewed on BBC London News calling on the British Government to secure his release from prison in the UAE. Ryan was arrested in Dubai in 2008 has been held in custody ever since.

Following submissions filed by IHR-Advisors on his behalf, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found that Ryan’s fundamental rights have been breached and that his ongoing detention is arbitrary and in contravention of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

You can read a transcript of the BBC London News lunchtime segment here and watch clips from both the lunchtime and evening news segments below.

Victoria Hollins reporting from the BBC studio:

The family of a man who has been held in prison in Dubai for 14 years are calling for more to be done to help secure his release. Ryan Cornelius was sentenced to 10 years for fraud over a bank loan for a property deal, but after serving his sentence, he was given another 20 years in jail. His family and supporters have been outside the Foreign Office this morning.

Guy Lynn reporting from outside the Foreign Office:

The case of Ryan Cornelius goes beyond, and is entirely different, to many of the cases that we often hear about people who are stuck in jails in Dubai. The United Nations have now called for the immediate release of Ryan Cornelius.

His wife, Heather Cornelius tells Guy Lynn:

“It’s more than anybody can take. We are all desperate to get Ryan home. We really do need the help now of the British government. I don’t see how else we’re going to get him home.” 

His son, Josh Cornelius, says:

“Every year my birthday, or my dad’s birthday, it doesn’t feel like a celebration. It feels like another year that he’s lost out on my life, another year that I’m losing time with him.”

Guy Lynn reports:

“We have a response in from the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office this afternoon who say:

‘We have provided support to a British man detained in the UAE, and will continue to do so. We have been in close contact with the UAE authorities to ensure the welfare of all British people in UAE prisons is met. They also say they are studying closely the opinion of the UN and have raised this with the UAE.’”

This programme originally aired live on BBC London News at 13:30 GMT on 14 July 2022.

This programme originally aired live on BBC London News at 18:30 GMT on 14 July 2022.