Video footage from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) shows Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan, a member of the country’s royal family, torturing a man. He is the brother of the country’s crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed. The UAE Ministry of the Interior confirmed it was Sheikh Issa in the video but said the “incidents depicted in the video tapes were not part of a pattern of behavior.”
The videos were revealed by Texas businessman Bassam Nabulsi who used to look after sensitive items and documents for the Sheikh. But the relationship soured and Nabulsi claims he was arrested and tortured in an attempt to get the tapes back. Nabulsi’s on-going lawsuit against the sheikh is proving to be an embarrasment for the U.S. ally.
Bizarrely, the Interior Ministry statement said the matter was settled privately, “by agreeing not to bring formal charges against each other, i.e., theft on the one hand and assault on the other hand.” The video could now derail a huge nuclear power deal between the U.S. and the UAE that was on the verge of being signed.
The following video seems to be a small part of the assault. Warning: Disturbing content.
ABC News report
AP report
Posted by
ed
on April 22, 2009
Read on...
ABC News: ABC News Exclusive: Torture Tape Implicates UAE Royal Sheikh
Financial Times: TV station airs UAE torture video
MSNBC: U.S. man: Videos show torture by UAE royal
Kuwait Times: Torture lawsuit embarrasses UAE
Say something
Written by Izzee on April 25th, 2009 @ 9:56 pm
May ALLAH burn this Sheihk in Hell!
Written by Arthur Dent on April 27th, 2009 @ 10:38 am
Re Comment #1:
Nice, fight torture with torture. The mind of a religious genius.
Written by Upset on April 29th, 2009 @ 12:31 am
This is depressing. Justice will be if the ruler of UAE publicly punishes his brother. I believe they lash people over there. No one should be above the law. Cant help but feel so sorry for that victim
Written by usman on April 29th, 2009 @ 5:32 am
issa bin zayed fear the day Allah’s Angles decend on you!!!!!!!!!!!!!YAALLAH PUNISH the evil pple even in this world
Written by Jsutice on April 29th, 2009 @ 1:38 pm
Shameful …for the grace of little money …peoples become animals..like shaikhs
Written by Saif on May 2nd, 2009 @ 6:36 am
How can this eveil personified be called Sheikh which is a noble title for scholars not for filthy rich rulers of the Middle East What is exposed is the tip of the ice berg Sone people justify their action saying they are benevolent dictators Who are those justifying these evil doers Those sycophants who are seen in the video of torture assisting the beast Isa Whoever justifies these dictators are nothing but animals
Written by Monica on May 2nd, 2009 @ 9:45 am
This is appalling! How can we,as Americans,even consider doing business with such animals? Cultural differences aside,this man is seriously ill;and the fact that it is covered up by the ruling family is tantamount to their condoning it. I try to be accepting of middle eastern culture-but things like this make it awfully hard.
Written by michael on May 2nd, 2009 @ 1:15 pm
@Monica … this is only a tiny portion of the actual abuse. Still waiting until the complete video is released.
Written by Raine on May 3rd, 2009 @ 3:26 am
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/26/torture-tape. What a horrible mn, i wish he serves a long time in jail. Make that a life term.
Written by uaeman on May 3rd, 2009 @ 9:48 am
Home United Arab Emirates Communiqués
United Arab Emirates: Arbitrary detention and unfair trial of Dr. Mansoor Al Shamsi
11 August 2008 On 8 August 2008 Alkarama submitted a communication to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression and opinion asking them to intervene on behalf of Dr Al Shamsi, who was arrested on 6 May 2007 and conviction by an unfair trail to five years of prison of by the United Arab Emirates authorities.
Dr Mansoor Jassem Al Shamsi was born on 5 May 1965. He is married with four children, and lives in Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates. He has a Doctorate in Philosophy and Political science from the University of Exeter (UK) and has held various responsibilities in his country’s administration public service…
http://en.alkarama.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=130:united-arab-emirates-arbitrary-detention-and-unfair-trial-of-dr-mansoor-al-shamsi&catid=38:communiqu&Itemid=108
Written by Rado on May 4th, 2009 @ 11:01 am
It seems that the 25 torture videos are just the beginning. As I had learn a book titeld Dubai The Maktoum Story by John M. Smith is going to be released in the US in May 2009.
The torture video came from Abu Dhabi but the new book will effect now the ruling family around Sh. Mohammeb bin Rashid Al Maktoum & Sh. Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, with even more torture details.
It will not only effect business in the UAE but also the newly build tourism industry will get a bad imgage of the country.
Written by Shaf on May 7th, 2009 @ 9:55 am
May he rot in hell, and hopefully justice will be done on this Earth, and Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan will receive twice the amount of torture some day.
Written by Doktor on May 10th, 2009 @ 10:15 am
most ruling familys in the Arab World do this and its especially a fact well known in the United States who liked to deliver prisoners to them for “special treatment”. The video is shocking but extremely mild in comparison what these people really do (burning of genitals , cutting of fingers and worse thing which I dont even dare to spell out). The usage of torture from official ruling these countries is vast vast vast.
Written by Abdurrashid Umar on May 15th, 2009 @ 12:00 am
Issa am calling u with aloud voice that ”INNALLAHA SAMI’UN BASEER” so take care Allah SWA is well and fully aware of all what oppressors are doing including ur shameful deed (A muslim torturing his brother) hw bad ur action go completely against our Religion, thisdoes not comply with the teaching of our beloved prophet MUHAMMAD Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam at all, neither u are already in the institution of Shaitan Rajim the devil, enemy of Allah SWA, and u scored high marks, in fact u got first class , but the award to be received wallahi is CALAMITY, SO FEAR ALLAH and surely, Allah will compensate for those who were being oppressed.
Written by Jason on May 21st, 2009 @ 5:25 pm
So those are UAE’s enhanced interrogation techniques eh?
Written by Mona on June 9th, 2009 @ 1:17 pm
Something doesn’t look right, in the video, whoever is torturing the guy , is yelling to the camera man to come closer to get a better picture !!!
Written by Laura on September 12th, 2009 @ 9:51 pm
This people from uae are very scary, i heard from my friend working in Mclee solisetores in london that one egyption girl is asking for asylum to protect herself and her child from his father sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum chairman of emirates air line. As he left the girl in the street and his new born son with nothing and when she bagged him for help he wanted to kill them!!
Written by Omar Alzaabi on September 24th, 2009 @ 9:53 am
One bad guy doesn't represent all the country , when U.S.A did the awful toruring in Iraq prisons we didn't say oh , USA are bad people they are all evil… this guy even can't speak proper arabic .