Queen Elizabeth II with an UAE official at Shaikh Zayed Mosque in the capital.
Dubai : As Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip landed in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday on their first state visit to the federation since 1979, London-based pressure groups have urged the monarch to highlight the increasing number of British investors jailed in the UAE for financial crimes.
UK figures show 59 Britons are in Dubai jails, 70 per cent of whom are behind bars due to financial crimes such as bouncing cheques, said the lobby group Fair Trials International and Prisoners Abroad.
"We have noticed a marked increase in the number of UAE cases and, in particular, the proportion of Britons detained for financial crimes, representing 70 per cent of cases," the group's letter published in the British media said.
The Financial Times reported that a "similar number" of Britons are unable to leave the emirate pending resolution of legal issues. Most of the estimated 120,000 British citizens in the UAE live in Dubai.
Meanwhile, during her visit, the Queen is expected to unveil the design of the new Shaikh Zayed Museum, designed by British architects Foster and Partners, to be built on Saadiyat Island jointly with the British Museum.
The Queen will fly to Oman on Thursday.
fonte/ Gulf News
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