British influencer Brooke George, 23, faces execution by firing squad in Dubai
A British woman could be executed in Dubai by firing squad after being charged with premeditated murder.
Brooke George, 23, is currently being detained in the UAE hotspot after being accused of killing a 26-year-old British man who'd met on Facebook.
The pair struck up an online relationship, and she travelled with him from the UK to Dubai.
George, a TikTok star and former John Lewis worker from Gravesend, Kent, later told police her first visit to the UAE, where they enjoyed a professional photography shoot, had been positive, describing it as the 'time of my life'.
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She claimed her second trip had been vastly different, however, and that she'd picked up on a change in her new partner almost immediately, and that he'd been more controlling and abusive than before.
An example she gave to Detained in Dubai - the leading international authority on UAE law, which is providing her with confidential legal assistance - was that he'd only booked her a one-way flight, meaning she was unable to leave Dubai.
During a night out at Caffreys Bar in Jumeirah Village, she also alleged, the man had drunkenly assaulted her in the car before returning him and continuing to abuse her.
George's family claims she called them, panicking, claiming she was being punched.
Liaising with her loved ones, she managed to book a return flight home, then briefly returned to the man's apartment to recover her passport, only to find her possessions strewn across the floor.
She claims she was further beaten by the man and was forced to reach for a kitchen knife to defend herself, stabbing him to death.
On 22 June, George was arrested at the airport and - despite brandishing bruises and visible injuries to her face - was charged with premeditated murder.
Her family are now imploring the police to investigate the case further, insisting she only returned to his apartment to retrieve her passport.
George is currently being held at Bur Dubai Police Station, where her family claim she's already been forced to strip down before male officers without any female chaperones.
Her mother, Thereza George, told the press: "After Brooke returned to Dubai for the second time, the dynamic between them had clearly changed. 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. That evening, they went to a bar in Dubai. When I spoke to Brooke right after the incident, she was absolutely terrified.
"I have never seen my daughter so frightened in my life. She was crying uncontrollably. I could see that one of her eyes was badly swollen and was beginning to close."
Premeditated murder is a charge punishable by death in Dubai, and could result in George facing a firing squad.
Thereza added: "As Brooke's mother, I am deeply concerned for her welfare. The daughter I spoke to that night was utterly terrified.
"I firmly believe she was desperately trying to get home and away from whatever had happened to her."
Detained in Dubai CEO, Radha Stirling, also said in an official statement: "This case raises serious concerns about violence against women, the right to self-defence, due process and the treatment of British nationals detained overseas.
"Brooke maintains that she acted only after being subjected to a violent assault and in genuine fear for her safety.
"She should be treated not merely as an accused person, but as a presumed victim of violence whose allegations and documented injuries deserve proper investigation. We will be working to ensure that her rights are protected, that she receives a fair trial, and that the circumstances leading to this tragedy are fully and impartially examined."
Stirling added of George's case: "She reached for a knife after being attacked and punched in the face. Authorities must treat her as a domestic violence survivor while they investigate."
Topics: Crime, Real Life, UK News, News, World News
Rhianna Benson