UAE court lifts prison term for American convicted of money laundering

DUBAI, Aug 10 (Reuters) – A United Arab Emirates courtroom has lifted a jail sentence however upheld a conviction on cash laundering prices for U.S. citizen and civil rights legal professional Asim Ghafoor, who was detained whereas transiting by way of Dubai final month, the Judicial Division and a lawyer for Ghafoor stated on Wednesday.

The courtroom ordered Ghafoor to pay a 5 million dirham ($1.36 million) fantastic and for 18 million dirhams in his account to be confiscated. But it surely eliminated a three-year jail time period from an earlier sentence handed down in absentia in Could, lawyer Habib Al Mulla informed Reuters.

The anti-money laundering and tax evasion courtroom in Abu Dhabi additionally ordered Ghafoor to be deported, the emirate’s Judicial Division stated in an announcement posted on its Twitter account. It confirmed the jail time period had been eliminated and that Ghafoor confronted the fantastic and confiscation of his funds.

The lawyer didn’t say whether or not Ghafoor, who is predicated in Virginia, had been launched. The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi didn’t instantly reply to emailed requests for remark.

Ghafoor, who helped arrange a human rights group with slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, had been detained at Dubai Worldwide Airport based mostly on the absentia courtroom conviction, following an investigation that the UAE stated was launched in 2020 based mostly on a request for help from U.S. authorities.

The UAE Embassy in Washington stated on Monday the Emirati investigation had decided Ghafoor had dedicated tax evasion and cash laundering by transferring at the least $4.9 million in worldwide transfers by way of the UAE banking system.

The in-absentia trial and his detention on July 14 whereas U.S. President Joe Biden was visiting the area had drawn criticism from rights teams and a few members of Congress.

The US has not confirmed it requested the Emirati probe and stated Ghafoor was not detained at Washington’s request.

Ghafoor’s supporters have stated he was not conscious of the costs, with some U.S. lawmakers suggesting the arrest is likely to be political and mentioning his ties to Khashoggi, who was murdered by Saudi brokers in Turkey in 2018.

UAE authorities have persistently described the case as strictly certainly one of monetary crimes. They didn’t instantly reply to a request from Reuters on Tuesday for touch upon the accusation Ghafoor’s hyperlinks to Khashoggi could have been an element.

U.S. intelligence says Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman authorised the operation by which Khashoggi was killed. The prince has denied involvement. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are shut allies.

In accordance with Ghafoor’s web site, Ghafoor helped Khashoggi incorporate U.S.-based rights group Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) in 2018 and is a member of its board.

DAWN had referred to as for his instant launch, saying the Could conviction was obtained with out due course of, a criticism that has been taken up by members of the U.S. Congress.

The UAE Embassy stated Ghafoor has obtained due course of since his arrest, native authorized counsel and common contact together with his household and with U.S. consular officers.

($1 = 3.6727 UAE dirham)

Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Extra reporting by Lilian Wagdy in Cairo; Modifying by Toby Chopra, Peter Graff and Mark Heinrich

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