US

State Department calls for review of sheikh’s torture case

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The US has called on the United Arab Emirates to review a court ruling which acquitted a member of its ruling family of torture charges.

The court found Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al-Nahyan not guilty of abusing an Afghan man – apparently on grounds of diminished responsibility.

A US state department official said questions had been raised and the US would welcome a careful review.

US TV broadcast a video last year of the Afghan man being violently beaten.

The tape showed Sheikh Nahyan apparently torturing the man, named as Mohamed Shapoor, in the desert at night, beating him, letting off rifle rounds close to him, and driving over him with a car.

The sheikh, who is the half-brother of the UAE’s president, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, was acquitted on Sunday while five other defendants were found guilty.

The case marks the first reported investigation of a UAE ruling family member.

Full Story: US concern after UAE acquits sheikh in torture case – BBC