A Briton detained in Yemen despite being cleared for release a year ago can now be collected from prison, a senior Houthi official has claimed.
The official. who signed the release papers in December 2018, said that Luke Symons, 27, could be collected by representatives of the International Red Cross from a political prison in Sanaa, where he has been held since 2017.
Mr Symons was arrested and accused of spying for the UK but an investigation found no evidence of espionage, according to a document signed by Sultan Al Samei, a member of the Houthis' top decision-making body.
Relatives of the Briton, who is married to a Yemeni woman and has a son, 3, said efforts to have him freed after the release order were blocked by officials in charge of the prison.
“It was agreed he would be handed over to the International Red Cross," Mr Al Samei said. "You can liaise with the International Cross to come and take them.”
The Red Cross has tried to see Mr Symons in jail but was rebuffed, Mr Symons’s family said in the UK.
He has only been visited by one UN official during his time in custody and was taken out of the prison for that meeting, the family said.
The Red Cross on Thursday announced the repatriation of 128 detainees from Saudi Arabia to Yemen in hopeful signs of a diplomatic end to fighting after five years of war.
It said it saw the release as a “positive step” and hoped that it “will spur further releases and repatriations of conflict-related detainees”.
The Red Cross did not respond to request for comment regarding the plight of Mr Symons.
Robert Cummings, the detained man’s grandfather, has criticised efforts of the UK government to secure his release.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We’ve expressed concerns about Mr Symons’s case with the Houthis, and in March the then foreign secretary, Jeremy, Hunt met them and raised the issue.
“The Minister for the Middle East, Dr Andrew Murrison, met the family most recently in October and we have remained in contact with them since Luke’s detention in 2017.”
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Keane on …
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Mohamed Salah’s debut campaign at Anfield: “Unbelievable. He’s been phenomenal. You can name the front three, but for him on a personal level, he’s been unreal. He’s been great to watch and hopefully he can continue now until the end of the season - which I’m sure he will, because he’s been in fine form. He’s been incredible this season.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”
if you go
The flights
Direct flights from the UAE to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, are available with Air Arabia, (www.airarabia.com) Fly Dubai (www.flydubai.com) or Etihad (www.etihad.com) from Dh1,200 return including taxes. The trek described here started from Jomson, but there are many other start and end point variations depending on how you tailor your trek. To get to Jomson from Kathmandu you must first fly to the lake-side resort town of Pokhara with either Buddha Air (www.buddhaair.com) or Yeti Airlines (www.yetiairlines.com). Both charge around US$240 (Dh880) return. From Pokhara there are early morning flights to Jomson with Yeti Airlines or Simrik Airlines (www.simrikairlines.com) for around US$220 (Dh800) return.
The trek
Restricted area permits (US$500 per person) are required for trekking in the Upper Mustang area. The challenging Meso Kanto pass between Tilcho Lake and Jomson should not be attempted by those without a lot of mountain experience and a good support team. An excellent trekking company with good knowledge of Upper Mustang, the Annaurpuna Circuit and Tilcho Lake area and who can help organise a version of the trek described here is the Nepal-UK run Snow Cat Travel (www.snowcattravel.com). Prices vary widely depending on accommodation types and the level of assistance required.
Top 10 in the F1 drivers' standings
1. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 202 points
2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-GP 188
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-GP 169
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing 117
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 116
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing 67
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 56
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 45
9. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 35
10. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault 26
THE SPECS
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Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch
Power: 710bhp
Torque: 770Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 2.9 seconds
Top Speed: 340km/h
Price: Dh1,000,885
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The details
Colette
Director: Wash Westmoreland
Starring: Keira Knightley, Dominic West
Our take: 3/5
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
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- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
