The Middle East trip is badly terminated for a Canadian citizen, which is now back home and is saying what he says about the lack of help from the Canadian government for allegations of poor treatment inside a prison in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“I am still suffering from that experience,” said Ghazwan Abdel-Jeelil, a resident of Brentford. “I want policy and systemic changes to ensure that any other Canadian is never left abroad.”
On April 25, 2024, Abu Dhabi began at a parking lot, where he and another person, a UAE citizen, joined a change and argument at a parking lot. In the surveillance video, Abdel-Jeelil shared with Citynues, you can see it and the man meets in a shing match.
“I was not the one who started the fight, and I provided a recording video from a nearby restaurant, which I believe that it proves that but the authorities did not even see it.”
Abdel-Jeelil was accused of attack, but said he was not the only charge he was facing.
“The other person told the officials that I had cursed the police. It is not allowed.”
He said he was asked to postpone his journey back home in Canada and stay in the United Arab Emirates until a scheduled meeting with the prosecutor which took place several weeks later in June.
“And after that meeting, I was sent to Al Sadar Jail in Abu Dhabi,” he told Citynues. “No question, no appropriate process, no punishment. They put me in the state security jail for ten months, and then he said,” Okay, exile. “
Neither Abu Dhabi police nor UAE government officials responded to several requests of Citynuse to comment on their claims.
‘He denied me medical treatment’
While disappointing on his claims without any proper procedure, Abdel-Jiley also said that he was poorly treated while in jail and was disappointed with his repeated crying response to help the Canadian Embassy in the UAE.
He is suffering from various types of health conditions including PTSD, Sleep Apnea and diabetes and said that he depends on his request to the drug from the jail authorities that he was repeatedly denied.
“Every other day I leave the Canadian Embassy Sound Mail message to be asked to intervene.”
Eventually, two embassy officials paid him a trip to jail.
“I told him,” Friends, I need your help. My health is not good. They keep cutting my medicine. I am not sure I am going to exclude it or not. ” He said, ‘Well, we will send a diplomatic letter to the Foreign Minister, United Arab Emirates from Canada to the Ministry of External Affairs. ,
Abdel-Jeelil said that he was told that three letters were sent from him, but claimed that no medical treatment was ever provided.
“His pressure did nothing. I was left as a Canadian citizen.”
‘I just need answers’
On returning to Canada, he began sending messages to government officials in an attempt to get an answer, which happened, to send emails to his Member of Parliament (MP), Canada of Global Affairs and even the Prime Minister’s office.
“Please be convinced that your communication has been received and read carefully,” read a reply from the Prime Minister’s office. “With this answer, I am forwarding your comment for Canadian Federal Foreign Minister, Honorable Anita Anand Minister, his information and idea.”
Global affairs also responded to his requests, saying that they would take a look at his case.
In a statement by the speaker Corner, a global affairs spokesman said he advocated on his behalf. “Global Affairs Canada knows about the custody of a Canadian citizen in the United Arab Emirates.”
The spokesperson said the Canadian officials provided consular assistance to Abdil-Jelil and were in touch with the local authorities.
“Consular officials may request that Foreign Penal Authorities address health concerns of Canadian prisoners. However, Canada has no right to force foreign authorities to provide a specific medical intervention.”
Citing privacy issues, the agency could not comment further.
Abdel-Jeelle’s case did not isolate
According to Canada’s annual Consular Data Report released this month, global affairs opened 1,384 cases to address Canadians detained abroad during the 2023-2024 financial year. Abdel-Jeelil is far from being the first Canadian to claim global affairs, not enough for assistance after detention abroad.
Abdel-Jelil said, “In the past, he has been sued several times in the past.” For people like me, there is a need to put more pressure on the government to do more. “
In 2018, Canada’s Auditor General’s office focused an audit, whether Global Affairs Canada has adequately responded to the Canadian people’s visit or abroad to request to request for consular assistance.
While the audit found in the audit, “Composite Global Affairs Canada successfully provided consular services during international crises and canadian deployed additional resources to help abroad,” also found a place to improve it.
The audit found that in cases associated with allegations of misconduct or torture of Canadians detained abroad, the consular officials took immediate action to contact the prisoners and travel to the person when possible.