David Haigh

CEO Detained International

Co-Founder Haigh Justice International

David Haigh is one of the most high profile human rights lawyers and crisis managers focusing on the Middle East today.

He is a tireless and successful advocate for victims whose rights have been violated. His high-profile legal and human rights battles have led to many landmark precedent-setting court decisions, millions of dollars for his clients and significant media coverage for his clients. Most recently acting for HRH Sheikha Latifa Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, against her father, the ruler of Dubai, Prime Minster and Vice President of the UAE.

Shortlisted by his peers as one of the best lawyers in the UK and the Middle East, described by the Lawyer magazine as “you wouldn’t want to bet against him”and by Daily Beast as running an extraordinarily slick – and convincing – PR campaign ostensibly designed to free her [Princess Latifa]”.

David has known Princess Latifa, for almost 8 years through mutual friends when David lived in Dubai. Theappointment by HRH Princess Latifa followed David surviving a well publicised 22 month ordeal of torture and abuse in Dubai and, as a result, in addition to advising HRH Princes Latifa, he is now a fierce campaigner for human rights and justice in the UAE and the wider Middle East.

In 2017 at the United Nations period review of the UAE, he co-founded the Geneva based Association for Victims of Torture in the UAE alongside the Swiss leading human rights charity Al Karama Foundation and other UAE torture victims, from Qatar, Palestine and the United States of America.

David has been involved in many high profile cases of injustice, torture and abuse in which he and his partners have campaigned for the release or protection of those falsely accused and abused. He regularly appears on radio and television across the globe to talk of his experiences and those of his clients’. In 2017 his human rights work became so high profile that the renowned BBC Hardtalk programme dedicated an entire episode to David’s personal fight for justice and that of others that trust him with their fight for freedom.

As one of the most high profile defenders of human rights in the UAE, David often speaks at the United Nations about human rights in the UAE and is regularly called as an expert witness in cases pertaining to human rights in the UAE, Interpol abuse and UAE extraditions requests.

David now devotes his career and indomitable determination and strength to helping those in crisis and fighting for human rights.

David can be contacted on

Email:                        david@davidhaigh.co.uk

Twitter:                    @haighdavid

Instgram:                @davidhaigh

Facebook:                @davidlhaigh

LinkedIn:                 @davidhaigh1

Skype:                        haigh.david