to find it odd that this case has garnered more media attention?

[fideline]

Guardian article here

[fideline]

Hasn't. Sorry. I shouldn't post before the first coffee kicks in properly.

She is also being denied custody of her young son. The legal system there seems not only deeply anti-women but arguably quite corrupt.

[AuntieStella]

This MN thread is a potentially important one on this subject, with a persoanl angle, and I really urge people to look at it

[caramelwaffle]

I was also about to link to the other thread.

It's very important. All take a look.

(Bump)

[AuntieStella]

And people might be interested in the earlier AIBU on this too but that one tailed off when the 'petitions' thread linked above began.

It's nor exactly that she's being denied a fair trial, it's more that she is in a location where the justice system is utterly unlike that of Europe and there doesn't seem any way out.

[fideline]

Not only does Ms Lachaux need the pressure of publicity now, but if cases like this were given higher-profile coverage, it might pre-warn women who are considering following partners to countries such as Dubai.

I think people in general expect their British Passports to confer much greater protection than they do .

[ballstoit]

signed the petition on the linked thread...bumping to encourage more of you to do the same

[CuriosityCola]

Signed and bumped.

[SulkingintheShrubbery]

Bump

[fideline]

Direct link to petition here

[wannaBe]

When oh when will women stop following men to these countries? While I realise that no-one enters into marriage with a view to divorce, fact is that if divorce does enter into the equation they end up being stuck in a country with no rights and the almost certainty of losing their children. There have been enough of these types of cases to know that that is common knowledge, surely?

I do feel sorry for her but I don't actually think it should be down to the government to intervene in the laws of a country which are well documented and which she travelled to willingly. We certainly wouldn't welcome the intervention from other countries into our justice systems.

Perhaps amnesty international or similar could help her.

[fideline]

And to the website run by Afsana Lachaux's adult son here

[Balistapus]

I sympathise with this woman and hope things get resolved. However, I will never understand why people go to countries such as Dubai and Saudi, with their medieval judicial systems and views of women, who are then shocked to be treated like the locals.

In Dubai you get an automatic 3 year prison sentence if customs find a grain of cannabis in the tread of your shoe as DJ Grooverider found out to his cost.

[fideline]

It reminds me a little of the "common law marriage" myth Wannabe, in terms of people not accurately understanding their legal position. And for that reason the whole issue needs publicizing.

However, are you really suggesting the British Gov't shouldn't make representations on Ms Lachaux's behalf?

[wannaBe]

balistapus I would go so far as to say that women should even think long and hard before marrying someone from one of these countries, because if the marriage ends the possibility of abduction increases and the possibility of losing your children to one of these countries is high.

fideline I don't see how it's like common law marriage myth at all. In the middle east if you divorce custody is automatically awarded to the father. So in the very least if you don't have a complete bastard ex who is prepared to put criminal charges on to you you know that if you have children and the marriage ends the likelihood is that you'll lose them.

No-one should go and live in a country - any country - without having a grasp of the law before they go there. Not just in terms of marriage etc, but in terms of how they will be treated should they end up on the wrong side of the law, or what laws exist there that don't here, for instance.

And what exactly should the British government be doing? For whatever reason the judge in this case have deemed the witnesses to be inadmissible. If this was a trial here would we welcome similar intervention from abroad? no of course we wouldn't. If she was being denied a lawyer that would be one thing, but she isn't.

[fideline]

"No-one should go and live in a country - any country - without having a grasp of the law before they go there. Not just in terms of marriage etc, but in terms of how they will be treated should they end up on the wrong side of the law, or what laws exist there that don't here, for instance."

But that is sort of my point, it seems British women are happily cohabiting and having children here without being aware of the law of their own country and the ramifications for themselves and their children.

I was surprised to discover that myself, but once you accept that, it doesn't seem quite so shocking that they also emigrate without doing their legal research.

And the G'ovt do make representations about Brits in trouble abroad, be they on drugs charges in Thailand or on Death Row in Florida, regardless of the legal situation.

[caramelwaffle]

Bump

[BopToTheTop]

Signed and bumped

[KoalaFace]

Signed the petition.

As beautiful as places like Dubai look I wouldn't go near any of those countries with a barge pole. I wouldn't feel safe.

[Balistapus]

Ahmen, Wannabe.

Ignorance is no defence. If a Saudi man living in Britain raped his wife should he be let off because he didn't know it was a crime here?

I agree that if you cross the border to another country without having any clue about their laws, then you've knowingly chosen to put yourself at risk. If it's possible for me to be accused of a 'moral' crime in a country and then stoned to death for that crime, you won't see me getting on the plane. I don't need to know their other laws.

[fideline]

So just to be clear; you think this woman's situation is her own fault and nobody should be helping her or publicising her plight?

Is that right?

[fideline]

Bump

[Balistapus]

It's not her 'fault'. She is, no doubt, in a sad situation. But she had the choice to not put herself at risk of being in such a situation. I feel more sympathy for the female citizens of such countries who have no choice but to live under such rule.

Of course she should have consular assistance to ensure she gets the best treatment possible under that nation's laws.

As for publicity, the issue is that women get treated so badly there, not that a foreign national has found herself on the wrong side of the law. If you want to do something about it, protest to the rulers of Dubai ( good luck with that ) about their treatment of women rather than petitioning for a foreigner to be granted special treatment.

[fideline]

I still find it odd that there has not been more/wider coverage.

The plight of female Dubai citizens would benefit from the coverage too.

[fideline]

And I wonder what kind of "consular assistance" the four year old has received.