“The treatment of my husband has been absolutely appalling,” said Dieter’s wife Suki who is advocating for the release of her 42 year old husband. “Dieter is a gentle man and what he’s gone through has been horrific. He’d never hurt a fly. He’s been thrown into a Sharjah prison over one Sheikh’s ego and the German government has wiped their hands of it”.
Suki received a distressed call from Dieter on Friday morning who was attacked by an inmate over his instant noodles. “Dieter was violently pulled from his top level bunk bed and thrown on the concrete floor. He’s broken his foot and suffered multiple fractures. I am shocked that he’s been locked up with violent criminals, abandoned by German authorities who have not even checked on his welfare, let alone applied diplomatic pressure to investigate the legitimacy of the charges against him.
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“Dieter was taken to the hospital but they had run out of beds so they just returned him to the prison and left him there with his injuries. He called me, vulnerable to further attacks and in pain. He has no painkillers. He’s just been left there and without surgery, he could end up permanently disabled. Several days later, he still had not been admitted into hospital. I just can’t believe that the German government has allowed this to happen,” added Suki.
Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International has seen this kind of violence on numerous occasions. “The German government should have already reviewed the details of Dieter’s charges. It is clear that he has been wrongfully imprisoned and it is their responsibility to review his case and diplomatically intervene. It is not acceptable that the UAE is given the green light to abuse German nationals simply because the Germans are more focussed on their joint business and trade ventures with the Emirates.
“It is obscene that Dieter has been jailed with violent criminals, that he has been assaulted and then denied medical care. Suki has been in touch with the Embassy who appear to be doing nothing to support Dieter. The US, Canada and other countries have gone out of their way to ensure the safety of their citizens, but Germany is disinterested in protecting Dieter. This attitude puts German citizens at risk in the future and should anything happen to Dieter, the German government could find themselves on the other end of a negligence claim.
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“We urge the UAE and German authorities to ensure Dieter is provided with swift and adequate medical care and is protected from violence within Sharjah’s prison. We further urge both countries to review Dieter’s case. He has not committed any crime, but has been the victim of a corrupt legal system that allows members of the royal family to jail whoever they wish, without evidence of wrongdoing and without a fair trial. No judge would dare go against them.
“The German minister of foreign affairs must urgently open diplomatic communications with their counterparts in the UAE. It is time to bring Dieter home”.