'Influencer', 23, charged with murdering man she met online in Dubai faces death by firing squad
A British influencer has been charged with murder in Dubai and may face death by firing squad if convicted, according to a human rights group.
Brooke George from Kent in the UK has been charged with the murder of a British man who she met on Facebook while in the Middle Eastern country,
However, human rights campaign group Detained in Dubai have claimed that she stabbed him in an act of self defence after their relationship allegedly turned abusive.
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.
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"The former John Lewis worker is defending a murder charge in the UAE after an altercation. Her world has been shattered and her family left in tears."
The 23-year-old was arrested at Dubai International Airport after trying to return to the UK following her charges, and is now being held in the Bur Dubai jail.
'She was absolutely terrified'
Prior to being arrested on June 23, George's family state she contacted them in a state of panic after being physically assaulted by the man - she had travelled to Dubai to meet him after they began talking online.
She arranged a flight home and went back to her apartment to get her passport to leave, where she was attacked by the man again.
Her mom, Thereza George, said in a statement released 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.
"When I spoke to Brooke right after the incident, she was absolutely terrified. I have never seen my daughter so frightened in my life.
'Lured to Dubai under false pretences for the purpose of exploitation'
"She was crying uncontrollably. I could see that one of her eyes was badly swollen and was beginning to close."
The mom added that she is 'deeply concerned' for her daughter's welfare, after noting that she was just 'desperately trying to get home' and away from the man.
Stirling further added that George claims she was 'subjected to a violent assault and in genuine fear for her safety'.
The campaign group allege that she was 'lured to Dubai under false pretences for the purpose of exploitation'.
"Her family's 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."
LADbible Group contacted the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for comment.
The punishment for murder in the United Arab Emirates
The law which governs crimes and its penalties in the UAE is the Federal Decree Law No. 31 of 2021, AKA the UAE Penal Code.
Lexology explains that Article 384 of the UAE Penal Code states that a person who deliberately kills a human being will be sentenced to life imprisonment.
However, Article 384/2 of the UAE Penal Code further clarifies that if the murder is committed with premeditation and deliberation, the death penalty will be imposed.
The death penalty also applies to murders associated or connected to another crime, or if the murder is committed against a public official or a person assigned to a public service who was in service during the murder.
If toxic or explosive material is used for the murder, the death penalty would also be imposed.
Topics: Crime, UK News, World News
Mia Williams