23-year-old Briton goes on hunger strike

A 23-year-old Briton has gone on a hunger strike in a Sharjah prison, demanding that his country's embassy communicate with him.

According to Sharjah Police records, the Briton, who used to be a student of the Emirates Aviation College in Dubai, was arrested in 2013 on charges of possession of cocaine. A quantity of cocaine was recovered from his car. The student confessed to the crime, and accordingly, was referred to the public prosecution.

The Sharjah Criminal Court found him guilty and jailed him for nine years.

Brigadier Saif Al Zari Al Shamsi, Commander-in-Chief of the Sharjah Police, confirmed to Khaleej Times that the student has started a hunger strike.

Officials at the Sharjah Punitive and Reformatory Establishment (SPRE) contacted the embassy and requested its officials to meet him. The embassy has already sent a representative to resolve the issue.

Brig Al Shamsi stressed the SPRE's keenness to take care of the inmates and hailed the establishment's efforts to ensure prisoners' rights in line with international laws, norms, and conventions.

Source: Khaleej Times