Founder and CEO of Detained in Doha, Radha Stirling

Radha Stirling is a leading human rights advocate, crisis manager, and policy consultant specialising in the UAE and the broader Middle East. She is the founder and CEO of Detained in Dubai, a UK-based organisation that, along with its subsidiaries (IPEX Interpol and Extradition Reform, Due Process International, RadhaStirling.com, The Gulf Injustice Podcast, interpolrednotice.com and Detained in Doha), has assisted over 20,000 victims of injustice over the past nearly twenty years.
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Her work spans civil and criminal cases across the Gulf region, providing expert witness testimony in high-profile extradition and arbitration cases, while lobbying for Interpol reform. Given her extensive experience in financial disputes, Ms Stirling offers risk assessments for investors, strategic business advice, and legal support to corporate clients navigating the complexities of the region. She has successfully negotiated on behalf of businesses and individuals, recovered stolen assets, and intervened in cases of unlawful detention.
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A frequent commentator in international media, Ms Stirling discusses human rights and legal issues in the Middle East, regularly providing policy recommendations to the UK, Australian, and US governments. She has appeared in documentaries and on major networks, including Hill Rising, Sean Hannity, 60 Minutes, BBC, Sky News, and Al Jazeera, offering expert analysis on legal, political, and human rights developments in the Gulf region.

Ms Stirling has addressed the United Nations and works closely with Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. She is frequently invited to speak on foreign policy issues related to the Gulf states, providing expert guidance to lawmakers in Australia, the UK, and the US.
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Her advocacy and legal campaigns have led to the release of numerous high-profile detainees in the UAE, including Cat Le Huy, David Oliver, Richard Lau, Ellie Holman, Matt Joyce, Marcus Lee, Safi Qurashi, Scott Richards, Conrad Clitheroe, Gary Cooper, Farzan Athari, Billy Barclay, Jamie Harron, Laleh Shahravesh, and André Gauthier, (please see our Client Testimonials page for more).
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Ms Stirling played a pivotal role in the case of HRH Sheikha Latifa Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, where her intervention led to a United Nations investigation into the princess’s abduction from international waters. Her advocacy and media campaigns have influenced international human rights discussions, with The Daily Beast describing her work as “an extraordinarily slick – and convincing – PR campaign”, highlighting the global attention and pressure she generated on behalf of the princess.
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Ms Stirling has worked extensively at parliamentary and legislative levels, collaborating closely with Senators, MPs, and policymakers across multiple jurisdictions. She recently worked alongside JD Vance to secure the release of influencer Joseph Lopez and has played a key role in shaping legal protections against human rights violations. Her efforts have influenced extradition policies, foreign relations, and legal frameworks in the UK, Australia, the US, and beyond, ensuring greater safeguards for individuals at risk of wrongful detention.
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She regularly delivers briefings to policymakers, think tanks, and human rights organisations, addressing issues such as foreign policy, investment risks, cybercrime laws, and Interpol abuse. She has spoken at leading institutions and advisory panels, including the United Nations in Geneva, Frontiers of Freedom, the Offshore Alert Conference in Miami, and the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., shaping international perspectives on legal and financial risks in the Gulf region.
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Ms Stirling’s relentless advocacy has driven legal reforms, shaped international policies, and secured the freedom of unlawfully detained individuals. Her strategic interventions have influenced extradition laws, strengthened protections against human rights abuses, and exposed systemic injustices in the Gulf region.
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In addition to her advocacy work, Ms Stirling has held partnership roles at Middle Eastern law firms, providing expert counsel on complex legal disputes, financial matters, and corporate risk. Collaborating with policymakers, legal experts, and human rights organisations, she continues to challenge legal injustices, demand accountability, and push for stronger protections for individuals at risk of wrongful detention worldwide.

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PARTNERS, CONSULTANTS & EXPERTS.

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We work with a network of experienced specialists both in the UAE and abroad.  We have alliances with law firms and advocates internationally, including most of the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Australia and the United States.  We work alongside and instruct leading experts in their fields, as well as working with the world's leading human rights groups and policy think tanks. Please contact us for more information.

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