Professor Cyril Karabus and Dr. Iqbal Survé.
Image: Supplied
By Sarah Jane Abraham
Two years ago, I was given a book — Blood Money: The Cyril Karabus Story by Suzanne Belling.
I had never heard of it before, but as I turned the pages, I found myself utterly engrossed, then shocked, and ultimately inspired. This is not just the story of a wrongful conviction or an international legal battle — it is the story of an extraordinary act that few have ever spoken about.
The world today is fractured by conflicts that seem intractable.
The Israeli-Palestinian war has fueled narratives of endless enmity between Muslims and Jews, shaping political discourse, international relations, and even everyday interactions.
The idea of cooperation or solidarity between these two groups has become almost unthinkable to many. And yet, this book presents an undeniable counterexample — one that should force us to rethink the assumptions we hold about history, humanity, and moral courage.
Professor Cyril Karabus, a retired pediatric oncologist, was arrested in August 2012 while transiting through Dubai at the age of 77, accused of a crime he did not commit.
His legal ordeal in the UAE is meticulously detailed in Blood Money, which provides compelling evidence, interviews, and firsthand accounts validating his innocence. As his case gained attention, Dr. Iqbal Survé was contacted by Karabus’s daughter for his assistance.
Professor Cyril Karabus, a retired pediatric oncologist, was arrested in August 2012 while transiting through Dubai at the age of 77, accused of a crime he did not commit. His legal ordeal in the UAE is meticulously detailed in Blood Money, which provides compelling evidence, interviews, and firsthand accounts validating his innocence.
As his case gained attention, Dr. Iqbal Survé was contacted by Karabus’s daughter, who desperately sought his assistance. The chapters The Night in Shining Armour, Cape Doctor, and Epilogue all detailed how Dr. Survé’s behind-the-scenes interventions, diplomatic efforts, and strategic negotiations — including direct appeals to UAE royals and an urgent visit — proved decisive in securing Karabus’s release when all other diplomatic channels had failed. And when he finally sat across from Karabus, looked into his weary eyes, and saw the weight of injustice pressing down on him, he knew that silence was never an option.
Unbeknownst to Professor Karabus, a decade earlier, he had been tried in absentia and found guilty of manslaughter for the death of a three-year-old leukemia patient in the UAE and sentenced to four years , where he had briefly served as a locum. The charges, dubious at best, had been driven by the father’s demand for blood money — an amount payable only upon a criminal conviction under Sharia law.
For nine months, Karabus found himself trapped in a nightmarish legal quagmire. International outcry grew, with medical bodies, human rights organisations, and the South African government stepping in. Yet his future remained uncertain.
This is what makes the story remarkable. In a world where division is encouraged, where the weight of history pulls people apart, a Muslim doctor stepped forward to free a Jewish professor in distress. Not because they shared a faith or a nationality, but because he saw an injustice that needed to be corrected.
Why, then, is this story not widely known? How has such a powerful example of moral courage remained largely unspoken, especially in South Africa? We live in an age where division makes headlines and unity is an afterthought. This book offers an alternative: a world where compassion overrides prejudice, where the nobility of human action outweighs the limitations of labels.
I have researched this case extensively, and it is astonishing how global media covered Karabus’s trial, yet Dr. Survé’s instrumental role in securing his release received little attention. Why has this act of sheer humanitarianism not been highlighted in South Africa? Could it be that stories of selfless intervention do not fit into the preferred narratives of our time?
After reading Blood Money, I am left with a profound sense of admiration and curiosity. What drove Dr. Survé to intervene when so many others remained silent? What lessons can be drawn from this experience in a world that increasingly seeks to divide rather than unite?
I would like to interview Dr. Survé — to hear, in his own words, why he took action, what challenges he faced, and how he sees the role of conscience in today’s fractured world. This is not just the story of one man saving another; it is a humanitarian act of shared humanity, a testament to moral courage in an era of political expediency.
At a time when politicians weaponise religion, when global leaders stoke divisions instead of fostering unity, and when ordinary people are conditioned to see others as “the enemy,” the world desperately needs stories like this — stories that foster inclusivity, togetherness, compassion, and a shared humanity.
Perhaps, if more people knew of this story, they might begin to question the narratives that divide us. Perhaps, if more leaders drew inspiration from this act, the world would be a very different place.
* Sarah Jane Abraham is a writer in New York and London.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.