DUBAI PRISON BOSS SENTENCED TO JAIL FOR INMATE BEATINGS

Agence France Presse
June 30 2008

The former director of a Dubai jail and 24 wardens and police officers
have been sentenced to prison terms for beating up inmates during a
check for drugs, Gulf newspapers reported on Monday.

The trial of such officials and subsequent publicity is extremely rare
in the Gulf, and most newspapers carried the story on their front page.

Official newspaper Al-Ittihad said the men were all accused of "abuse
of power and ill-treatment of detainees under their guard."

The former director and six wardens and anti-riot police were
sentenced to six months in prison while the 18 others received
three-month sentences.

According to statements from the men who were attacked, the accused
formed a double row outside the cells and ordered the men to come
out. As they moved between the two lines, the wardens and police
kicked and beat them.

One convict, an Armenian, suffered blows to his spine, and the trial
judge declared "it was clear that the detainees have been beaten."

Around a dozen convicts had complained about being assualted.

Defence counsel questioned the reliability of the detainees’ statements
and a recording taken from one of the prison surveillance cameras. They
said they would appeal against the verdict.