UAE Denies Detaining British Man for Showing Support for Qatar, Reports Reuters

DUBAI – The United Arab Emirates has refuted claims regarding the detention of a British man for expressing support for Qatar during a soccer tournament held in the UAE. Officials clarified that the individual had been charged for making false allegations of assault to the police.

According to reports, Ali Issa Ahmed was taken into custody after allegedly showing sympathy for Qatar by wearing a shirt representing their national soccer team at an Asian Cup match. Since June 2017, expressing support for Qatar has been illegal in the UAE, following the severance of ties due to accusations that Doha supports terrorism, which Qatar has denied.

The UK Foreign Office confirmed it is providing assistance to a British citizen arrested in the UAE and is in contact with local authorities. The UAE government stated that Ahmed, who also holds Sudanese citizenship, had visited a police station in Sharjah to report harassment and assault by supporters of the UAE national team at the tournament.

Authorities said police took Ahmed to a hospital, where a doctor found that his reported injuries did not match his account and appeared to be self-inflicted. Subsequently, Ahmed admitted to making false statements and wasting police resources, resulting in charges filed on January 24. He will now go through the UAE legal system.

The potential punishment Ahmed may face if found guilty remains uncertain. During the Asian Cup final, which Qatar won, thousands of Omanis showed their support for Qatar by wearing scarves and shirts in its colors. Additionally, a South Korean woman and a Chinese man also expressed their backing by dressing in the colors of the Qatari flag throughout the tournament.