Cyril Karabus | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1935-04-01) 1 April 1935 |
| Occupation | Paediatric oncologist |
| Criminal charges | |
| Criminal penalty |
|
| Criminal status |
|
| Children | 5 |
| Relatives | Michael Bagraim (cousin-in-law) |
Cyril Karabus (born 1 April 1935) is a South African paediatric oncologist. Karabus was initially well-recognised in South Africa for his work with black cancer patients during the apartheid. In 2012, Karabus gained international attention after he was detained in the United Arab Emirates for a manslaughter and forgery conviction in absentia from 2004, which he was not aware of. Following boycotts in South Africa against the UAE, and government pressure, the UAE acquitted him of all charges in March 2013, and he returned to South Africa in May of that year.
Early life and career
Karabus was born on 1 April 1935.[1][2] A paediatric oncologist,[3] Karabus was well-recognised in his native South Africa for his work for black cancer patients during the apartheid. He treated cancer and blood diseases at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital for over 35 years,[4] where he founded the paediatric oncology unit.[5]: 711 He also trained doctors at the University of Cape Town.[6] He has five children[4] and is Jewish.[7]
Convictions in absentia
In October 2002, while acting as a locum in Abu Dhabi for a period of six weeks, Karabus treated a 3-year-old Yemeni girl with acute myeloid leukemia[8][3] at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City.[6] Karabus had been supplementing his government pension with temporary jobs such as the one in Abu Dhabi.[3] According to Karabus, the girl's parents refused a bone marrow transplant; the girl instead went through two rounds of chemotherapy, following which she had a brain hemorrhage and died under his care.[3] A few weeks later, Karabus went back to Cape Town[3] after, he claimed, his contract ended.[4] His charge sheet claimed he was a fugitive.[4]
The family of the girl claimed that a nurse told them Karabus did not give the girl the platelet transfusion she needed, which contributed towards the hemorrhage. She also allegedly told them that Karabus had falsified records to show she had been given the platelets.[3] Karabus was convicted of forgery and manslaughter in absentia on 23 March 2004,[9]: 6 something he was unaware of until his arrest years later.[3][8][5] He was to serve three years imprisonment and pay a fine of 100,000 AED (250,000 South African rand) as blood money.[9]: 6 [5]
Arrest
On 17 August 2012, Karabus had a layover at the Zayed International Airport. He was returning to South Africa from his son's Canadian wedding.[8] When boarding his flight from Toronto to Abu Dhabi, Emirates Airlines staff informed him that he had a "security alert" on his passport, but failed to give him further information.[5]: 710 On 18 August, while boarding the flight from Abu Dhabi to South Africa, he was arrested.[8][3] Karabus only became aware of his manslaughter conviction in absentia following his arrest.[8][3] Though his family travelling with him, which included his wife, daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren, wanted to remain in the nation to be with Karabus, Emirati officials refused to renew their day visas and ordered them to board the flight.[3]
Karabus was imprisoned at Al Wathba Prison,[8][10] and recalled the conditions as being "not too bad".[4] He stayed in the prison for 57 days.[9]: 6 The case was postponed 13 times over an eight-month period,[11] and he made five appearances in his trial, after which he was released on bail for a retrial.[8] Karabus was assisted by the labour lawyer Michael Bagraim;[7] Bagraim's wife is Karabus's cousin.[9]: 5 Following a slow legal process, Bagraim decided to pressure the government through lobbying and emailing news organisations about the detention; soon after, a petition was set up by two unrelated people.[9]: 6
International condemnation
On 16 April 2013, the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) withdrew from the Africa Health Exhibition scheduled to take place from 7 to 9 May in Johannesburg to protest Karabus's detention. The organiser of the Africa Health Exhibition, Informa Life Sciences Exhibitions, was headquartered in Dubai.[8] The South African Medical Association released a statement three days later in support of the HPCSA, calling the UAE's treatment of the case "inhumane".[8]
Moreover, ethics bodies within South African medical institutions, including the Professional Ethics and Standards Committee at the University of the Witwatersrand's Faculty of Health Sciences and the University of Cape Town's Medical School, publicly condemned the UAE and endorsed the imposition of sanctions. This prompted healthcare organisations, such as the KwaZulu-Natal Managed Care Coalition and the Independent Practitioners Foundation, to withdraw their backing of the Africa Health Exhibition. In response, a number of academics chose to pull out of the event in protest and in solidarity with Karabus, resulting in the deferment of several specialist sessions, including those in obstetrics, gynaecology, paediatrics, nursing, and sports medicine.[8] The World Medical Association condemned Karabus's detention and the manner in which he was being treated, and cautioned doctors considering working in the UAE. Following backlash, the Informa Life Sciences Exhibitions removed their headquarters on their website some time between April and May.[8]
The South African government also joined in pressuring the UAE for Karabus's release. Concerns centered around Karabus's health while imprisoned due to his old age, and whether he would be granted a fair trial.[11] People protested for Karabus's release in several places, including at the 2013 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships.[9]: 9–10
Acquital, release, and aftermath
The physician in charge of the girl prior to Kabarus obtained a clinical record which indicated that the girl's platelet level had increased from 1000 to 19000 the day before her hemorrhage, contradicting the claim that he failed to do the transfusion.[9]: 8 Karabus and his legal team faced several setbacks, including the fact that the documents provided were photocopies and not the originals, and that the Higher Committee for Medical Liability did not have any haematologists nor oncologists on the board. On 6 December 2012, the prosecution failed for the second time to provide the notes made during the girl's final two weeks.[9]: 8
Karabus was then aided by the South African businessman Iqbal Survé, who was a former pupil of Karabus and had business relations with the Abu Dhabi royal family, which secured his acquittal and sped up the process.[5]: 710 Survé appealed directly to Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. On 19 March 2013, the Committee cleared Karabus of any wrongdoing.[9]: 9 After he was found not guilty two days later, his passport was taken by government authorities to process an appeal for the prosecution, leaving him in the UAE against his will.[8] The prosecution lost its appeal on 24 April.[9]: 9–10
Karabus was released in May 2013 and went to Cape Town.[4] He was greeted with his family and his supporters on his arrival at Cape Town International Airport.[4][9]: 10 Following his release, Karabus gave several talks for charity organisations, and for his former employer, the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital.[5]: 711 For his efforts, Survé received the "services to the medical profession" award at a ceremony hosted by the South African Medical Association.[5]: 711 In 2014, Suzanne Belling wrote a book on Karabus's imprisonment, titled Blood Money – The Cyril Karabus Story, which was published by Jacana Media.[12]
References
- ^ Morris, Loveday (21 March 2013). "'I just cannot wait to leave': After seven months detained in Dubai, cancer doctor is free". The Independent. Archived from the original on 10 July 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ "Delays dash Karabus's birthday party hopes". TimesLIVE. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Polgreen, Lydia (12 April 2013). "United Arab Emirates' Laws Ensnare a Doctor". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 17 June 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g Smith, David (17 May 2013). "South African doctor flies home after nine-month limbo over UAE death". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g Bateman, Chris (4 September 2013). "Karabus sues former UAE employers". South African Medical Journal. 103 (10): 710. doi:10.7196/SAMJ.7457. ISSN 2078-5135. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ a b Boseley, Sarah (3 October 2012). "Concern for South African doctor held in Abu Dhabi over mystery conviction". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ a b "Jewish doctor held in Abu Dhabi cleared of charges". The Times of Israel. 24 March 2013. Archived from the original on 6 December 2024. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Dhai, Ames (2013). "Solidarity and South Africa's healthcare professionals". South African Journal of Bioethics and Law. 6 (1): 2. doi:10.7196/sajbl.271 (inactive 4 January 2026). hdl:10520/EJC139685. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of January 2026 (link) - ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Bagraim, Michael (2013). "The Trial in Dubai: The Saga of Prof Cyril Karabus". Jewish Affairs. 68 (2): 5–11. ISSN 0021-6313.
- ^ Schneider, Moira (3 June 2013). "After 9-month battle, Jewish doctor jailed in UAE returns home". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 24 June 2025. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ a b Smith, David (20 March 2013). "Medical experts clear South African cancer doctor over UAE death". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ "Medics queue up to have books signed". Jewish Report. 9 June 2014. Archived from the original on 11 July 2025. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
