Sign Petition for Release of South African Professor
South African relatives of Professor Cyril Karabus, who has been detained in the UAE since August, have called on fellow South Africans to sign a petition for his release. The 78-year-old Professor was arrested whilst in transit through Dubai. He was returning home to Cape Town from a trip to Canada, where he had attended […]
South African relatives of Professor Cyril Karabus, who has been detained in the UAE since August, have called on fellow South Africans to sign a petition for his release.
The 78-year-old Professor was arrested whilst in transit through Dubai. He was returning home to Cape Town from a trip to Canada, where he had attended his son Mathew’s wedding.
Prof Karabus’ arrest concerns an apparent incident in 2002 when he was doing a locum in Sheik Kalifa’s medical centre, and a patient died of leukaemia.
Later, in the Professor’s absence, he was “tried” and found guilty of manslaughter. He is currently being held in the hospital wing of the jail due to his medical needs, including a pacemaker.
A community petition has been created on Avaaz, requesting that Prof Karabus be allowed a fair hearing and trial because “a Patient’s death, although regrettable cannot always be manslaughter.”
Prof Karabus is a senior paediatric specialist who headed Red Cross Children’s Hospital Oncology unit for many years.
According to the Petition, “he is sentenced to a period in prison without this ever being communicated to him. This is not justice. He was not given an opportunity to defend himself. Medical patients die, particularly when they have serious illnesses such as leukaemia.”