PRISONER SERIOUSLY INJURED AFTER FALLING FROM STAIRS: POLICE
By Bassma Al Jandaly, Staff Reporter
Gulf News, United Arab Emirates
Aug 17 2007
Dubai: Police are investigating the case of a prisoner who fell from
the stairs inside Dubai Central Jail and sustained severe injuries.
A police official yesterday said a prisoner identified as Samuel, an
Armenian in his late 30s, fell from the stairs early in the morning
last Thursday and sustained severe injuries to his back. "He fell down
and the case was reported to the police station. There are witnesses
that saw him falling down. He was taken to Rashid Hospital where he
was operated upon," an official told Gulf News yesterday.
The lawyer of the injured prisoner told Gulf News that Samuel was
beaten up by riot police last Thursday at 4am. "Samuel wrote a
three-page letter telling us what had happened to him. He told his
wife that while the prisoners were sleeping, police officers entered
the cells and started beating up prisoners," the lawyer said.
He said Samuel was beaten up severely. He was taken to Rashid Hospital
where he underwent surgery in his back. "It is impossible that he
fell down the stairs," the lawyer said.
A friend of Samuel said he is serving one year in jail for robbery.
He has served seven months and was supposed to be released on
August 15.
Illegal resident
His wife was an illegal resident and she had applied for amnesty for
her husband and herself. She was supposed to leave the country with
her husband for Armenia where their only son stays. The friend said
Samuel is now paralysed and cannot move his legs. Samuel’s wife said
she does not want anything, but just wants to go home with her husband.
The police official said Dubai police will never beat any prisoner.
"They can complain to police and the public prosecutor. The
anti-narcotics police will not beat anyone. They come on regular visits
to the jail because prisoners sometimes take drugs," the official said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
