Lawyer for Quebec man detained in Oman fears client's extradition to United Arab Emirates

The lawyer of a Saguenay man detained in Oman says her client is being scapegoated for a $30-million fraud he did not commit.

Andr Gauthier, 65, was detained three months ago, when he tried to get his Canadian passport renewed.

His lawyer,Radha Stirling, says authorities in Oman now want to extradite him to the United Arab Emirates, where he could face imprisonment.

"He could potentially spend the rest of his life in prison. He's a 65-year-old man," Stirling said in an interview on CBC Montreal'sDaybreakMonday.

"Evidence is not required to secure a conviction in the UAE, it can simply be someone's word that is sufficient to have someone detained and convicted," she said.

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In 2013, Stirling says her client discovered irregularities in financial records of Gold AE, where he worked as an advisor.

The company, which was based in Dubai,shut down last year following the fraud allegations.

Stirling said the embezzlement resembled a Ponzi scheme and that the man responsible fled the country.

The blame fell on Gauthierin 2015, Stirling says, who had stayed behind to help investigate. Stirling says he was then arrested and detained for 18 months inDubai without being formally charged.

According to Gauthier's brother, a judge said he realized it wasn't Gauthier's fault, but that someone needed to be held responsible.

"The judge said it that clearly, he said, 'Sir, I know you didn't do anything, but you're the only person left from the company who is still here,'" said Normand Gauthier.

Andr Gauthier was finally released on an appeal, allowing him to travel to Oman and try to return to Canada.

Stirling says there have been other cases where theOman government has refused to extradite someone to the UAE.

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"We're hoping that in this situation, they can also see that he's definitely going to be subject to human rights violations" if he is sent back to the UAE, she said.

"I don't think that this case is going to be very good for the reputation of countries that are trying to attract foreign investment," Stirling added, citing the World Expo planned for Dubai in 2020.

She is hoping that Oman can be convinced to release Gauthier and let him return to Canada.