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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3059775/David-Haigh-Dubai-jail-year-no-trial-ex-Leeds-chief-admits-suicidal.html
Behandlingen av David Haigh er ...ille!
David Haigh InterviewAn exclusive interview with former Managing Director of Leeds United who is currently being held in a Dubai prison.
Name: David Haigh
Age: 38
Profession: Lawyer, businessman and philanthropist
Tell me about your arrest and what happened afterwards.
I had flown to Dubai on a business trip. I was there to meet the former owners of Leeds United and to discuss a new business opportunity in London. I remember getting off the plane, heading over to the office. Everything seemed normal before I was arrested.
Just hours after I had landed, I was in a prison cell with no idea of why I was there. I’d done nothing wrong, and I had committed no crime. They didn’t charge me with anything. Before I knew what had happened I was being processed in Arabic, signing documents I didn’t understand and with lots of pushing and shouting. I remember being shouted at in Arabic, but I had no idea what they were saying.
Then I was put into a dark prison cell.
I found out that my business partners had said I’d stolen from them, but no formal charges have been brought. I remember thinking that I’d been cheated by people I trusted - by friends. And I knew everything was stacked up against me. I’ve been told I could be held indefinitely. It’s been over 400 days now, and I’ve still not been charged with anything. You know, they haven’t even interviewed me - not a single question in 14 months.
I was placed in a cell made for 32 but often housing twice that number. I was not initially allowed paper or pens or anything for personal use of any sort. It was so cramped and I remember the smell. In fact, I’ll never forget it: it was awful, truly awful.
How did you feel in those first few days?
Frightened, trapped, betrayed and cheated. It is the most frightening experience of my life. Not only was it a prison, it was a prison in a foreign country far far away from Leeds. I was still recovering from recent stomach surgery and was in considerable pain.
I was more concerned with basic survival in an unfamiliar and horrendous world. Uppermost in my mind were the needs of finding something to eat, somewhere to sleep and some advice on what on earth I was to do now. I was still in a suit and could hardly have looked more out of place. I had to sleep on the floor outside for the first few days until I bought myself a space in a cell and a mattress. In Dubai jails money matters.
I remember a huge metal door being slammed shut when I was first taken to the prison. The noise terrified me. I was completely isolated and alone. I was in a foreign prison, thousands of miles from home. I had no money, no one to talk to, and I began to lose hope. For the first three weeks I was also unable to eat, virtually starved and was in terrible pain.
I was a frightened, bewildered and distressed mess.
It must have been a very dark time.
I was desperate. I was suicidal. I even planned to hang myself on the cell door, I just wanted it all to end - to get rid of the fear, desperation and the pain. It was crushing me.
I think those first few weeks were the worst - a nightmare. It was the darkest time of my life. I had no lawyer - I wasn’t even allowed a pen and paper. I had no money and didn’t understand how my accusers were being allowed to trick me. I was beyond desperate.
Can you describe the conditions?
I’d best not. I can tell you that it has been the darkest and most terrifying experience of my life. And after more than 400 days, it doesn’t look like it is going to end any time soon.
Hadn’t you recently had surgery when you were arrested?
Yes, I’d recently had stomach surgery. I was meant to be on a liquid diet. The first day I was offered the prison food, which I am told is laced with drugs similar to bromide. I was told that I had no right to special food and needed a doctor to prescribe a diet. I tried to see the doctor but it was several days until he was to be in.
When I saw him, he agreed to prescribe me a liquid diet. What essentially then arrived was the same food once again. I then had to wait a further week to see the doctor, who said the same thing, all of this in broken English. He then got it wrong again. I had no food to eat, I collapsed several times.
My friends then decided to speak with Prisoners Abroad. After that, I received special liquid food and was allowed to have packet soup brought in and instant mash potato.
I essentially live on Cup-a-soup and instant mash now.
But Prisoners Abroad is brilliant. They sorted everything out and without them I don’t think I would be alive right now.
How has Prisoners Abroad helped you?
To be frank, it has saved my life! The people at Prisoners Abroad were the only ones who were there - no one else was. I really don’t say this lightly, but if it were not for the help that Prisoners Abroad offered, I doubt I would be here saying this and you would have been reading ‘Former Leeds United MD dead in Dubai Jail’.
Do you have a message for Prisoners Abroad and the people back home?
It sounds crazy, like something from a Hollywood movie, but being locked up in a foreign country can happen to anyone. I’ve been deceived by people I trusted; I’ve had my most basic human rights abused by my former employers and even people I counted as friends. I’ve lost almost everything.
I was successful, happy and my life was going well. And today I’m shut away from the people I love, from my friends and from my family. But I’ve done nothing wrong. These people are taking my money, my home, my life and my freedom.
But there is one thing that they can’t take away from me. And that is the kindness and love that has been shown to me by Prisoners Abroad. I would ask that anyone reading this gives what they can to help them. I know that their survival packs save lives. I know from my experience how much difference vitamins, medicines and even a phone card make. It can be the difference between life and death.
"So please, if you can, support this wonderful charity and the people who work for it. They are incredible and I owe them my life."
Thank you is all I can really say, but it will never be enough. Hopefully once this nightmare is over, I will come and join them as a volunteer and help others in prisons around the world.
Please, make a donation today and help us to continue providing life-saving support to Britons like David in prison abroad.
http://www.prisonersabroad.org.uk/davidinterview.html