Family of British dad jailed in Dubai make desperate plea after his ‘front teeth were pulled out with pliers’
Topics: News, World News, Crime, Travel
Jen Thomas
Featured Image Credit: Detained In Dubai
Topics: News, World News, Crime, Travel
The family of a British man have issued an urgent plea for help, as they claim he has been 'beaten, threatened and psychologically abused' in a Dubai detention facility.
Ryan Pepper, 27, is a dad-of-two from Ashford in Kent, and according to human rights group and legal advocates Detained In Dubai, he was arrested in November 2025.
It is also reported that British officials are having difficulty arranging one-on-one access with Pepper in the 'hell hole' prison.
The reason for his arrest has not been shared with his family, and they believe the Foreign Office doesn't know either, but Pepper has managed to smuggle notes out of the prison, which feature some horrific allegations of torture and mistreatment.
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He had visited Dubai on holiday, but decided to stay on after apparently finding work as a travel agent.
His family has now raised the case with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture, as they plead for help.
Pepper's sister, Chloe, told Metro: "At first we were trying to stay positive, but then Ryan started telling us people had been beaten, isolated, threatened and denied communication. He sounded terrified."
The family said they had no contact with him until 13 May, some seven months after he was first arrested.
"We genuinely began fearing he was going to die in there," added his worried sister.
According to a note, reportedly smuggled out of the detention facility, Pepper wrote that they were not allowed phone calls but were now being allowed outside.
He alleged 'everyone was beaten up' and said the whole experience was 'hell' and also claimed that authorities had 'kidnapped and robbed' prisoners.
Chloe told The Sun about his graphic injuries, which they claim were inflicted by the authorities: "Something needs to be done asap – He has had four teeth pulled out.
"He’s missing his front teeth and he said the things that happened to him were inhumane.
"It happened during the torture. Pulled out with pliers!"
Another note alleges the dad is sharing a cell with around 19 others, and also claims he was 'beaten up for 19 days straight'.
Chloe told The Sun: "It was two weeks before the embassy found he was in jail. I thought he was dead. It’s been a stressful seven months."
Pepper has apparently not been in court or seen a judge and is being held in the detention centre with no clue why.
He alleged in a note: "I’m being unlawfully held with no sign of Court, judgement and no case updates."
The concerned dad urged his family not to travel to the UAE to try to visit him, as he feared they would also be arrested.
"Don’t come to the UAE to visit. Visitation is once a week for only 5 mins behind a glass wall – it’s pointless," he allegedly wrote.
"Make sure no one from the family try to come here for a visit, this place is hell."
Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling said: "The Foreign Office continues relying on reassurances obtained in environments where detainees may be terrified to speak honestly.
"British officials cannot meaningfully assess torture allegations if meetings are monitored by the same authorities accused of abuse.
"Ryan’s case follows an increasingly alarming pattern involving British detainees in the UAE.
"British nationals are increasingly vulnerable in the UAE and the British government is not responding with the urgency these cases require."
She added: "How many warnings does the British government need?
"British citizens need to understand that if they are arrested in Dubai, even over social media activity, financial disputes, or minor allegations, they may face prolonged unlawful detention, violent abuse, intimidation and potentially torture.
"The Foreign Office travel warnings are nowhere near strong enough."
An Foreign Office spokesperson told Tyla: “We are supporting a British man who has been detained in the UAE.
"We are in contact with his family and continue to raise the case directly with the local authorities in the UAE.”
They also insisted that t'he UK takes all allegations of torture and mistreatment extremely seriously and will always raise these with relevant authorities with the individuals’ consent.'
It was also said that Britain’s ambassador in the UAE, and FCDO officials in Dubai and London are in contact with UAE officials, and continue to raise his case directly.
LADbible Group has reached out to the Government of Dubai media centre for comment.