Employer Abuse, Confinement & Emergency Rescue: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman & Bahrain

Physical abuse, verbal assault, starvation, and illegal confinement in a residence or labor accommodation are serious criminal offenses under the penal codes and anti-trafficking laws of all GCC countries. You have the fundamental human right to safety, medical examination, emergency shelter, and legal repatriation.

1. What to Do in Immediate Physical Danger

If you are locked in a room, assaulted, or facing immediate physical harm, remember: emergency dispatchers speak English, Hindi/Urdu, and Arabic. Call emergency services immediately or share your live WhatsApp GPS location with a trusted contact or embassy hotline.

2. 🇦🇪 UAE: Police (999), MOHRE & Dubai Human Rights (800 5005)

1. Emergency Police Dispatch: Call 999 immediately. State your exact building, villa number, or landmark.
2. Human Trafficking Hotline: Call 800 5005 (Federal & Dubai Police Human Rights Division). They can dispatch immediate rescue teams to unlock premises and extract trapped workers.
3. Domestic Workers Protection: Under UAE Federal Decree Law No. 9 of 2022, domestic workers have the legal right to immediate contract dissolution and embassy transfer in case of abuse.

3. 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia: Police (911), MHRSD (19911) & SRCA (997)

1. Unified Security Police: Call 911 (Makkah, Riyadh, Eastern Province) or 999 (all other regions).
2. Social Protection Hotline: Call 1919 (Domestic Violence & Abuse Reporting Center) or MHRSD at 19911. Police will accompany social protection officers to inspect premises and rescue the worker.
3. Safe House Accommodation: Rescued workers are housed in government welfare facilities (Dar Al-Dheyafa) with medical screening, meals, and repatriation legal support.

4. 🇴🇲 Oman: Police (9999), NCCHT Anti-Trafficking (8007 7444) & Shelter

1. Royal Oman Police (ROP): Call emergency dispatch at 9999 (24/7 toll-free nationwide).
2. National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking (NCCHT): Call the official national crisis hotline at toll-free 8007 7444 or +968 2469 1100.
3. Government Distress Shelter: The Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) operates a specialized shelter for runaway, distressed, and abused domestic and expatriate workers (Hotline: 1100) providing full lodging, daily meals, psychological care, and exit clearances.

5. 🇧🇭 Bahrain: Police (999), LMRA EPC (995) & MWPS Shelter

1. Police Emergency: Call 999 immediately for life-saving dispatch.
2. LMRA Expat Protection Centre (EPC) & Shelter: Call toll-free 995 or +973 1710 3103. The EPC operates the largest government-run specialized shelter for distressed and abused migrant workers in the Gulf, providing safe rooms, 3 meals daily, medical exams, and legal protection from retaliatory absconding charges.
3. Migrant Workers Protection Society (MWPS): Registered non-profit providing emergency shelter and crisis intervention (Call +973 1782 7780 | WhatsApp +973 3941 8071).

6. Accessing Embassy Safe Shelters (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh)

Embassies and consulates maintain 24/7 emergency shelter accommodations and legal distress hotlines:

• 🇮🇳 Indian Missions:
  • UAE: PBSK 24x7 Helpline 800 46342 | WhatsApp: +971 54 309 0571
  • Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Distress +966 11 488 4697 | WhatsApp: +966 54 212 6748
  • Oman: Muscat Distress +968 2468 4500 | WhatsApp: +968 9828 2270
  • Bahrain: Manama Distress +973 1771 2683 | Helpline: +973 3941 8071
• 🇵🇰 Pakistani Missions:
  • UAE: Abu Dhabi / Dubai CWWA: +971 2 444 7800 | WhatsApp: +971 50 124 8934
  • Saudi Arabia: Riyadh / Jeddah Welfare Wing: +966 11 488 4111 | Mobile: +966 57 628 4980
  • Oman: Muscat Welfare Wing: +968 2469 6000 | Mobile: +968 9127 6197
  • Bahrain: Manama Welfare Desk: +973 1724 4113 | Mobile: +973 3600 0012
• 🇧🇩 Bangladeshi Missions:
  • UAE: Abu Dhabi / Dubai Labour Wing: +971 2 446 5100 | Helpline: +971 4 238 8199
  • Saudi Arabia: Riyadh / Jeddah Labour Wing: +966 11 419 5300 | Helpline: +966 53 732 4976
  • Oman: Muscat Labour Wing: +968 2469 8010 | Helpline: +968 9418 6060
  • Bahrain: Manama Labour Wing: +973 1723 3925 | Mobile: +973 3326 2201