Dubai resident held for 'illegal' charity drive

Dubai : An Australian-British national has been detained for allegedly promoting a US charity illegally in Dubai.

On Tuesday, Dubai Police confirmed that Scott Richards was being held in the detention centre at Al Murraqabat Police Station.

Richards, who has been working as an economic development advisor in Dubai, is yet to be charged.

According to his legal representative, Radha Stirling, Richards was detained on July 28. The father of two is now moving into his third week of detention.

Stirling said Richards was working at Camp Qambar in Afghanistan for a US registered charity, "coordinating the logistics of distributing UN-standard tarpaulins" to civilians there.

After returning to Dubai last month, she claimed he was detained by police for allegedly promoting the charity via social media.

A Dubai Police official said that no one will be detained without committing crime and violating the laws in the UAE.

The official said that charitable donations and fundraising should be collected after getting in touch with the right channels, and those who involve in such matters without getting permission and authorisation will face charges of acquiring money illegally.

Those who involve in donation drives without permission and are found flouting the rules face jail terms, he said, reiterating that funds should be raised "through licensed societies, NGOs and should be gained with permission to do so by the concerned authority".

Speaking about Richards' detainment, Stirling said: "We don't have complete clarity but we believe he was arrested under a new UAE law that prohibits promoting non-UAE registered charities."

The law Stirling is referring to is Decree No (9) of 2015, which was issued in April last year by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The decree was laid down in order to regulate fundraising and charitable donations in Dubai.

Stirling said Dubai Police are currently investigating the case but she said the family wanted to make one point clear.

"Scott was not raising money for the charity, he was raising awareness."

 Richards' brother Brett, said he last spoke to his sibling the day before his arrest.

"He was in great spirits when we spoke and he told me everything over in Dubai was great. It was such a shock when I found out from his wife he had been arrested."

Brett described Richards as a "very sweet guy" who just wanted to raise awareness about the poor conditions of refugees living in Afghanistan.

 "Me and my family just want to see him get out as soon as possible," he said.

"It was such a shock when I found out from his wife he had been arrested."

The police official further told Khaleej Times: "People who fundraise should know that they are required to get the correct authorisation. Many charities here are given authority to collect donations and they do it following the law."