A British man has been arrested and detained in the United Arab Emiratesafter he wore a Qatar football team shirt during a match at the AFC Asian Cup, according to a UK media report.
Ali Issa Ahmad, 26, was detained and beaten up for wearing a football shirt which promoted Qatar at the team’s group match against Iraq in the capital, Abu Dhabi, on January 22, the Guardian reported on Tuesday.
Showing sympathy for Qatar is punishable in the UAE, with a jail term of up to 15 years.
The sanctions were imposed after the Emirati state, along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar, accusing the Gulf state of supporting “terrorism”.
Doha has repeatedly and vehemently denied the allegations.
Ahmad, from Wolverhampton in central England and an Arsenal fan, was in the UAE on holiday when he attended the tournament match, his friend Amer Lokie, told the Guardian.
“This is just unspeakable,” Lokie was quoted as saying about the detention.
“It seems that he was released after being detained, assaulted by the security men in the car and accused of promoting Qatar.”
According to Lokie, who spoke to Ahmad on the phone, as he begged for help to get released, his friend was again detained and accused of telling lies after he went to the police station to report his initial assault.
“We’re not clear about exactly what happened next but he has been held because he is accused of making false allegations against UAE security officials,” Lokie said. “He said he is being held in a place called Al Sharjar.” – Al Jazeera.
