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23-year-old facing execution by firing squad in Dubai 'suffering terribly' in prison
A 23-year-old influencer facing execution by firing squad in Dubai is "suffering terribly" during her time in prison.
Brooke George, a content creator from Kent, England, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and detained in a notorious Dubai detention center and banned from calling home.
As George is now being held in the Bur Dubai police detention center, her family has voiced concerns over her safety.
23-year-old influencer being kept in detention center that left prisoners "terrified"
George was arrested in connection with the killing of a man, 26-year-old William Treeby, who she'd met online in June of this year.
She claims that she acted in self-defense after Treeby allegedly attacked her, but was arrested by Dubai police at the airport after attempting to flee back to the UK. Ever since, she has been held at Bur Dubai.
Now, George's loved ones are speaking out about their concern for her. According to advocacy group Detained In Dubai, George's family are expressing serious concerns over the conditions she's being kept in.
Known online for posting beauty routines and lip-sync videos across her social media, George is now sleep-deprived after her months-long stay in the detention center and has now reportedly been banned from making international calls back home.
George's mother, Tess, revealed that in their last, very brief conversation, her daughter said that bright lights were never switched off in any of the rooms at Bur Dubai, and she was therefore unable to sleep.
The detention center, Detained in Dubai says, is "not designed for long-term habitation" and that British citizens sent there during the Iran strikes were left "terrified at the thought of spending days there, let alone months."
"She can’t sleep," George's mother said. "She can barely call home. I’m getting very worried about her mental state."
What are the updates on Brooke George's Dubai murder trial?
Brooke George was arrested at Dubai Airport for the murder of William Treeby, who was found fatally stabbed.
The two had formed a relationship online, and George flew over to the UAE to meet him, but she says during her second visit, Treeby became "controlling" and started to exhibit controlling behavior.
George claims that after an argument between the two allegedly turned violent, she reached for a kitchen knife in an act of self-defense.
In the UAE, murder is a crime that can carry the death penalty, which means George could face execution by firing squad.
Her latest court date was due to start on October 8. However, according to Detained in Dubai, witnesses for the prosecution failed to turn up, so the trial was adjourned until October 28.
Detained In Dubai said that it is now working to secure George access to medical care, sleep medication if clinically appropriate, and more reliable telephone contact with her family.