Woman, 23, facing death by firing squad 'suffering terribly' in horrific conditions in Dubai jail

A 23-year-old influencer charged with murder and held in a notorious Dubai detention centre has been banned from calling home, her concerned family has claimed.

Brooke George, who hails from Kent, could be executed by a firing squad if she is convicted of murdering a man she met online, William Treeby, 26, in June this year.

She claims that she acted in self-defence after he allegedly attacked her - and since being arrested at the airport while trying to flee back to the UK, she has been locked up at an infamous detention centre.

According to advocacy group Detained in Dubai, George's loved ones have expressed serious concerns about the conditions she is being kept in at the notorious Bur Dubai police detention centre.

The content creator - known for sharing beauty routines and lip-syncing videos on social media - is said to be sleep-deprived and has now reportedly been forbidden from making international phone calls.

The Brit has been charged with the murder of 26-year-old William Treeby (Detained in Dubai)

During the very brief communication she has had recently with her mother Tess, George complained that bright lights remain on in every room around the clock, leaving her unable to sleep.

The mum has said she is becoming increasingly 'worried about her mental state' after George's trial was adjourned until 28 October last week, meaning she will have to endure at least another few weeks at the detention centre.

Detained in Dubai said that the facility was 'never designed for long-term habitation' in its latest update on George's case, adding: "British citizens who were locked up there for only hours during the Iran strikes were terrified at the thought of spending days there, let alone months."

The latest update on George's trial

George was arrested at Dubai International Airport in June and taken into custody and charged with murder after Treeby was fatally stabbed.

This is a crime that can carry the death penalty in the UAE - meaning she could be executed by a firing squad.

The young woman met Treeby online, according to reports, before the pair developed a relationship which led to her flying out to Dubai to meet him.

But on her second visit to the holiday hotspot, she claims Treeby became controlling and exhibited abusive behaviour.

After an argument between them allegedly turned violent, George reached for a kitchen knife in what she claims was an act of self-defence.

Her latest court hearing took place last Wednesday (8 October), but Detained in Dubai said that prosecution witnesses who had been summoned to attend did not turn up. As a result, her trial was adjourned until 28 October.

George's family are becoming increasingly 'worried about her mental state' (Detained in Dubai)

The court ordered her continued detention while it awaits evidence from the remaining witnesses.

George's prolonged stay at the Bur Dubai police detention centre has taken a significant toll on her mental state, according to her relatives.

Her mother Tess told Detained in Dubai that as well as the lights remaining on constantly, the cries of babies and children nearby also make it difficult to sleep.

George was reportedly told she would receive medication to aid her sleep, but campaigners say she has still not been given any - while her contact with the outside world is allegedly being restricted.

"She can’t sleep," Tess said. "She can barely call home. I’m getting very worried about her mental state."

Tess alleges that the recent calls she had with her daughter were 'cut off after approximately two minutes' and that the 23-year-old 'has now been told she cannot make international calls'.

Brit, 23, is 'suffering terribly' behind bars

The founder of Detained in Dubai, Radha Stirling, said that George is 'suffering terribly' at the detention centre and is becoming 'increasingly upset'.

"Her mother is left wondering how much worse things will become before she hears her daughter’s voice again," she explained. "Two minutes on the telephone, followed by an abrupt disconnection, is distressing for everyone involved.

"For Brooke, those calls are a lifeline. For her family, they are the only opportunity to hear how she is coping and offer some reassurance."

Amid the delay in George's trial, Stirling has called for the concerns around the Brit's wellbeing to be 'addressed now', adding: "Her health cannot be put on hold until the next court hearing."

The campaign group said it is working to secure her access to medical care, sleep medication where clinically appropriate, and reliable telephone contact with her family.

"We will do everything we can to help," Stirling said. "Brooke needs to know she has not been forgotten. Her family needs to be able to speak to her, and her worsening distress needs proper medical attention.

"Whatever the allegations, she is entitled to humane treatment while her case is heard."