Dubai tortures and imprisons man for 25 years for having non-psychoactive CBD oil

Ah, Dubai, the sparkling desert miracle of splendiferous opulence! Where else can you get tortured and imprisoned for 25 years for having a bottle of non-psychoactive CBD oil?

That's what happened to Billy Hood (24), a UK man who moved there to coach children's soccer. According to The Independent, Dubai police regularly monitor WhatsApp messages for "CBD," and that's how Hood was nabbed. "A week before Mr Hood's arrest the friend who owned the vape liquid sent him a message telling him he had forgot it in his car." (CBD oil is legal in the UK and many other parts of the world that recognize human rights.)

So even though the CBD oil didn't even belong to Hood, the cops raided Hood's apartment, searched Hood's car, and found CBD vape oil in his car. They tested Hood's blood for drugs, the test came back negative.

He was arrested and charged with "drug trafficking with intent to supply," and given a 25-year prison sentence.

From The Independent:

Alfie Cain, a football agent, claimed that Mr Hood had been beaten for five days as officers from Dubai's CID tried to force him into confessing to drug crimes.

Mr Hood had only signed the drug trafficking "confession", written in Arabic, because he was exhausted and in pain, and because officers said they would stop beating him if he did, it was alleged.

Mr Cain was quoted by The Sun as saying: "It's been bad in Al-Barsha, I'm not going to sugar coat it.

"When they took him to the CID drugs unit they beat him for an entire five days, he told me police officers tasered him, slapped him in the face and all they fed him was bread and little bit of water. He was basically tortured and put in a cell with 30 other people for five days.

If you're interested in visiting Dubai to enjoy "sunny adventures, incredible cuisine, epic entertainment and the thrilling Expo 2020," visit its official website. Bon voyage!