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ABC NewsReversing Course, Officials Say ABC News Tape Appears to Reveal "Violation of Human Rights"
After first dismissing it as a private matter, the government of the United Arab Emirates today condemned a video tape showing a member of the royal family torturing a grain dealer, with the help of men in uniform.
The tape was first broadcast last week on the ABC News program Nightline and has been seen by others around the world on ABCNews.com.
The 45-minute video, smuggled out the UAE, shows a man the government has acknowledged to be Sheikh Issa, one of the crown prince's 22 royal brothers, repeatedly beating a man he claimed had cheated him. The tape shows the sheikh using an electric cattle prod and a board with a protruding nail. At the end of the video, the Sheikh drives his Mercedes SUV back and forth over the semi-conscious victim.
In an unprecedented statement issued today, the government of Abu Dhabi said it "unequivocally condemns the actions depicted on the video."
It said the Human Rights Office of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department considers that the scenes on the tape "appear to represent a violation of human rights" and said it would review a possible case against those involved.
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