British Grandfather Left to Starve in Dubai After Decade-Long Legal Limbo
Dubai, UAE – A British grandfather and military veteran is facing a desperate fight for survival in Dubai, left homeless, starving, and denied critical cancer treatment after being ensnared in a decade-long legal battle stemming from an accusation he was already cleared of.
John Murphy, 59, served in the british military before establishing a life in the united Arab Emirates. Ten years ago, he was arrested following allegations of causing offense to hotel security.Though ultimately acquitted, the repercussions of the arrest have spiraled into a nightmare scenario, trapping him in an “inescapable legal limbo.”
During the intervening years, a landlord successfully sued murphy for rent arrears accrued while he was detained. His possessions were seized,a travel ban imposed,and his passport withheld – restrictions that remain in place today. Unable to work or leave the country, Murphy has been caught in a vicious cycle of debt and despair.
“I haven’t eaten in four days,” Murphy communicated in a recent message from Dubai. “I’ve been on the streets for three weeks. I try to ride the metro all day to rest, but security chase me away. I wash in mall toilets, I’ve been in the same clothes for weeks, and my health is failing.I need urgent cancer treatment and dental care, but I have nowhere to turn.”
The situation is particularly harrowing given that homelessness is illegal in the UAE. Remarkably, when Murphy attempted to surrender to police for assistance, they refused to arrest him, leaving him stranded and without recourse.
Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, condemned the treatment of the veteran as “outrageous.”
