About Us

Hello, my name is Safi Roshdy, a non-Emirati Dubai native, and I founded this platform in April 2024, after having endured more than four harrowing months as a criminal defendant in Dubai. I have had to represent myself in court and write my own court memos, but I am privileged in that I have a basic grasp of the Arabic language, and could afford to put in the time to research and study the UAE legal articles related to the charge brought against me. I was subsequently acquitted by the Dubai Court of First Instance and then the Court of Appeal. The experience offered me an insight into how the Dubai legal system can be abused out of spite and how innocent individuals can be bullied into acquiescing to an accuser's demands just to avoid potential sentencing.

 

This platform is meant, at the very least, to provide basic resources to anyone seeking information on how to navigate criminal legal proceedings in Dubai, and the objective is for it to provide access to practicing lawyers in Dubai who can offer their services pro bono to those who really need them. I will be updating the website periodically (I am aiming to do so once a week) with relevant resources, and I hope that my outreach to lawyers in Dubai is fruitful, and that the next time you check out this section, you will be introduced to at least a few kind hearted legal counsels ready to take up your case.

 

It is worth noting that it seems that the UAE Ministry of Justice, Dubai Courts, the Dubai Legal Affairs Department and the Dubai Community Development Authority have all attempted to provide criminal defendants access to pro bono legal counsel, but upon checking, none of the services which were publicized seem accessible.

 

I am not re-inventing the wheel with this initiative, just offering a service which can mean the world to some people, disseminating important information about legal proceedings in Dubai, and working to make pro bono legal representation happen. If you would like to support the initiative in any way, please reach out, and until there are enough resources uploaded on the website, please do relay questions related to criminal charges in Dubai using the contact information provided, and I'll do my best to provide you with answers.