Gulf News, United Arab Emirates
August 23, 2007 Thursday

RIGHTS BODY PROBES INMATE BEATING CASE

Dubai: A team from Dubai Police’s Human Rights Department is
investigating a prisoner’s claims that he was beaten up in Al Aweer
Central Jail.

An official from the department questioned a number of prisoners over
the alleged beating of prisoners two weeks ago. They were also
questioned about Armenian prisoner Samuel Karltini, in his late 30s,
who alleged that he was beaten up severely by the police inside the
jail. Karltini claimed he suffered a broken back and is now paralyzed
at Rashid Hospital.

Police said Karltini fell from the stairs and sustained injuries in
his back when the anti-narcotics police visited the jail on a regular
round on August 1.

The official from the Human Rights Department said preliminary
investigations have revealed Samuel was not beaten. "He had a chronic
back problem," he said. The human rights team was invited by Dubai
Police to visit the prison. The anti-riot police only enters the jail
on orders from higher officials, he said.

Karltini’s lawyer told Gulf News he was serving one year in jail for
robbery. He has served seven months and was supposed to be released
on August 15. His wife became an illegal resident because her husband
was jailed. She had applied for amnesty for her husband and herself.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress