A British influencer could face the death penalty by firing squad if she’s convicted of murder in Dubai. As per campaign group Detained in Dubai, 23-year-old Brooke George, of Gravesend, Kent, stands accused of fatally stabbing a British man with a kitchen knife after the pair met on social media.
George is said to have claimed that she acted in self-defense when the man attacked her. Reports state that the young woman was arrested at Dubai International Airport in the early hours of June 22 as she attempted to leave the country to return to the UK after the incident.
She is currently being held at Bur Dubai jail, though maintains that she was attacked before she grabbed a knife to defend herself.
Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, said: “She reached for a knife after being attacked. Authorities must treat her as a domestic violence survivor while they investigate.
“The former John Lewis worker is defending a murder charge in the UAE after an altercation with British man she met on Facebook. Her world has been shattered and her family left in tears.”
George’s family, meanwhile, say that the 23-year-old contacted them in distress after being physically assaulted. They claim she arranged a flight home and returned to an apartment to collect her passport before being attacked again.
“After Brooke returned to Dubai for the second time, the dynamic between them had clearly changed,” her mother, Thereza George, said in a statement published by Detained in Dubai.
“The day before the incident, she did not seem like herself. She was quieter and not her usual happy, cheerful self, but she did not tell me why. That evening they went to a bar in Dubai.
“When I spoke to Brooke right after the incident, she was absolutely terrified. I have never seen my daughter so frightened in my life. She was crying uncontrollably. I could see that one of her eyes was badly swollen and was beginning to close.
“As Brooke’s mother, I am deeply concerned for her welfare. The daughter I spoke to that night was utterly terrified. I firmly believe she was desperately trying to get home and away from whatever had happened to her.”
Radha Stirling issued a plea to the UAE authorities to properly investigate the circumstances of George’s alleged crime. The Detained in Dubai CEO pointed to a worrying pattern of women from around the world being lured to Dubai, only to find themselves victims of “sexual exploitation, coercion, violence or other degrading treatment.”
“Brooke maintains that she acted only after being subjected to a violent assault and in genuine fear for her safety. We will be working to ensure that her rights are protected, that she receives a fair trial, and that the circumstances leading to this tragedy are fully and impartially examined,” Stirling said.
“Over recent years, there have been increasing reports of women, including social media influencers, models and young travellers, being lured to Dubai with promises of luxury lifestyles, paid work, holidays or romantic relationships, only to later allege that they were subjected to forced attendance at porta-potty parties, sexual exploitation, coercion, violence or other degrading treatment.
“Those closest to Brooke became increasingly concerned that she may have been lured to Dubai under false pretences for the purpose of exploitation.
“Their concerns were fuelled by his unexplained change in behaviour, the one way ticket, the bikini clad professional photo shoot arranged during her first visit, the alleged withholding of her passport, Brooke telling friends that ‘things weren’t right’, and her growing fear that she needed to escape.
“Brooke reported seeing disturbing videos on his computer and being assaulted by him before the fatal incident.
“Given these allegations, we urge the UAE authorities to preserve and forensically examine all electronic devices, computers, mobile phones, online accounts and digital communications connected with the deceased and any associates, to determine whether Brooke was targeted for exploitation and whether others may also have been victims.
“We are calling for Brooke to be released on bail pending the outcome of the investigation.
“Multiple witnesses observed visible injuries immediately after the incident. Rather than treating Brooke solely as a murder suspect, investigators must also examine her being the victim of serious violence and possible exploitation. She should be afforded protection, appropriate medical care, legal representation and immediate British consular assistance while the investigation proceeds.”
