U.S. Legal Counsel to Zack Shahin: As Zack Shahin's Health Deteriorates, U.S. Embassy in United Arab Emirates Must Provide Shahin with Medical Care

-- Despite Shahin's Failing Health, U.S. Officials Remain Silent in Publicly Calling for U.A.E. to Grant Shahin's Immediate and Reasonable Bail and to Hold a Fair and Open Trial --

WASHINGTON, June 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. legal counsel to Zack Shahin issued the following statement as Zack enters the fourth week of his hunger strike protesting the U.S. government's inaction in publicly calling for the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) to grant Zack's immediate and reasonable bail and hold a fair and open trial:

"As Zack enters his fourth week of hunger strike protesting the U.S. government's inaction to publicly call for U.A.E. to grant his immediate and reasonable bail and to hold a fair and open trial, Zack's health is rapidly deteriorating.  Still, complete silence from Washington.  Does Zack have to die before we hear in public from Ambassador Corbin, Secretary Clinton, Attorney General Holder, Under Secretary Otero, or Assistant Secretary Feltman? If the United States government is unwilling to assist a U.S. citizen who has been stripped of his due process rights during his over four year incarceration in Dubai without bail, trial, or conviction, it is hoped that U.S. Embassy officials can provide a reliable and properly trained medical doctor to examine Zack's health. Following his initial arrest and subsequent hospitalizations, Dubai authorities have repeatedly failed to provide Zack with proper medical care. As Zack reaches the critical stages of his hunger strike, when permanent damage to his vital organs and muscular system is almost a certainty, it is essential that proper medical care is provided to Zack by the U.S. government.  Zack's short-term memory is lapsing and he has continued shortness of breath as well as pain indicating the likely early onset of kidney failure.  If Secretary of State Clinton is willing to allow Zack to die of starvation in his fight for due process in the U.A.E., the least she can do is allow him to die with dignity and instruct U.S. Embassy officials to have competent medical professionals examine the damage that his fight to protest U.A.E.'s perversion of the rule of law has done to his body."

Following his arrest in March 2008 amid allegations of corruption against various directors and officers of Deyaar, Shahin has been wrongly singled out as having participated in draining Deyaar of equity. He has been imprisoned without trial by the Dubai government under inhumane conditions for over four years, suffering violations of his due process rights under the laws of Dubai. Although various charges have been filed, no resolution of any of them has taken place. Some cases have even been dismissed on the eve before trial, just when Shahin was about to present his defense to the claims against him. Shahin has had over 200 court hearings, yet only 17 lasted longer than 3 minutes and all were less than 40 minutes.

The U.S. government has witnessed these due process abuses, while periodically inquiring about the status of his cases in the Dubai courts and sending its Embassy representatives to court hearings. They have witnessed first-hand four years of delays, due to the prosecutors, prosecution witnesses, and judges failing to show up at scheduled hearings. However, the U.S. government appears timid to express a more forceful position in seeking fairness and justice for Zack.

For more information on Zack Shahin, please visit www.FreeZack.com.

U.S. legal counsel to Zack Shahin are Jim Jatras, Rebekah Poston, and Eric Akers.

SOURCE U.S. Legal Counsel for Zack Shahin