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Original poster

Women detained in Dubai ‘after glass of wine on plane’

260 replies

Aridane · 11/08/2018 13:50

Reading today’s Guardian and came across this.

Swedish dentist travelling with four year old daughter from London to Dubai had a glass of wine on the flight. Taken into custody as had an invalid visa and pending return to UK. Blood test then administered to test for alcohol. As a result of which apparently she and daughter detained for three days and made to clean toilets.

Released on bail, passport confiscated, remaining in Dubai pending hearing in a year.

Can’t do a link as reading a physical newspaper.

Anyone know any more about this? Is there more to it than a glass of wine on the flight and an invalid visa?

Just seems quite odd.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 11/08/2018 14:46

How can it have expired if she just got there? Read the visa bit I copied from .gov site

hmcAsWas · 11/08/2018 14:47

Why not CraftyGin? It shouldn't be a race to the bottom

CraftyGin · 11/08/2018 14:47

It might be that there was something in her history that meant that she needed an advanced visa... who knows?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

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CraftyGin · 11/08/2018 14:49

Why not CraftyGin? It shouldn't be a race to the bottom

But we can only control our own laws and values.

We can appeal to good standards of human rights in other countries, but they don’t have to go there.

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 11/08/2018 14:51

Or we can not travel there and give them our money.

LipstickHandbagCoffee · 11/08/2018 14:52

It’s not actually as you describe it in the op.youre Indignant without full facts

Getting into an altercation with immigration officials is never good idea

HoleyCoMoley · 11/08/2018 14:52

I'm sure there is more to this, she shouldn't have filmed govt, officials but no doubt she'll earn enough selling her story to cover her legal fees and lost wages.

mateysmum · 11/08/2018 14:56

This lady is apparently NOT a British citizen. She is a Swedish national and the rules are different. She was entitled to a multi entry 6 month visa and then she would have to apply for a visa from outside the UAE. Her visa had expired and she had not applied for another one.
She was a regular visitor to the UAE. She should have known the score. She was an idiot.
She then compounded the error by refusing to comply with immigration. She refused to get a return flight even though immigration were entirely within their rights to make her depart. Still not satisfied, she then started arguing and filming the officials - stupid and illegal in many countries.
Suprise, surprise she was detained.
The testing for alcohol is standard procedure.

There is no doubt the rules regarding alcohol are tricky and can easily catch out the unwary and I bet the detention area was grim, but this woman got herself into this.

It's similar to a case a few years ago where supposedly a couple were arrested for alcohol consumption and making out on the beach and they played the victim all over the DM. Truth is they were seriously pissed and being pretty blatant on a public beach. A policeman asked them to break it up and go home and they proceeded to abuse him. You'd get arrested for that in the UK too.

Dubai is great when things go well, but laws and culture are different. You have to watch your step.

hendricksy · 11/08/2018 14:58

What I don't understand is why the rules weren't given to her on the plane .. surely the airline has a duty of care to remind their customers of the rules of Dubai . I think it's terrifying .

Shmithecat · 11/08/2018 14:59

What matey said. 👍

Ki0612 · 11/08/2018 15:01

It sounds like she travels to Dubai frequently to do Botox etc to ex pats. They may have been questioning the back and forward but the visa had been fine to use previously...

She was given one complementary glass of wine on the flight and admitted that to officials who then arrested her. I can also see why she couldn't bear to get back on a flight with a four year old.

The conditions she and her little girl were kept in sound awful.

However... arguing and filming their reaction to her was not a good idea at all. She'll be thankful shes been released as she could've been kept there a year awaiting trial!

MrsSarahSiddons · 11/08/2018 15:01

She brought it on herself. But I cannot fathom why anyone would visit Dubai more than once. I would happily return to every country I've ever visited for another holiday - but not that one.

mateysmum · 11/08/2018 15:05

It is up to the individual to make sure they have the correct documents.

This woman had been to Dubai before. She must have known the rules.

Posters above talk about the Dubai drinking scene. It's true, but if you choose not to get an alcohol license or drink to excess and then come into contact with the police, on your head be it. Any residents who claim not to know the consequences are liars. And those consequences are severe.
You can have a great time in Dubai but you MUST abide by the letter of the law.

mateysmum · 11/08/2018 15:09

If she was doing botox for expats then she was even more stupid as it appears her expired visa was only a tourist visa - not a residents visa that would allow her to work.

runningkeenster · 11/08/2018 15:15

I suspect she probably raised her voice and challenged the immigration officer. He wouldn't have liked that - her being a lowly woman and all

Yes this was my view too.

CraftyGin · 11/08/2018 15:15

We’re speculating a lot here, but a Botox business is a bit far-fetched.

banannabreadforme · 11/08/2018 15:19

I lived in Dubai for 5 years. Both my children were born there. I loved it.
It is not illegal to have alcohol in your blood stream. There are many bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants which serve alcohol unless it's a Dry day, usually for a religious day.
If you are in Dubai for an extended period you and your child are required to have a current visa. This is clearly promoted.
You do not act in an aggressive or disrespectful manner towards a government, military or police employee. It is expected they are treated with respect. Problems can be solved without behaving that way.
It's different to the UK. Like it or not that behavior is not allowed to some people.

sulflower · 11/08/2018 15:21

The first rule of travelling is not to argue with immigration officers.

Especially when you are in the wrong. She also started filming the argument which is not allowed. Her 90 day visa had run out, she needs one because she has a Swedish passport. She brought it on herself.

zzzzz · 11/08/2018 15:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CraftyGin · 11/08/2018 15:35

But like the states then...

Definitely do not be anything than less than obsequious with Border Comtrol and TSA officials.

They have solitary powers as to whether you are admitted or not.

In the U.K., a dubious claim for entry would go to a powwow to be debated, and then assessed by a superior officer.

PlatypusPie · 11/08/2018 15:42

My DH has worked in the UAE ( Dubai and Abu Dhabi )on several business contracts, for various parts of the government - he got the third degree from immigration last time because the officer misread something. He knows the UAE mindset well enough not to contradict an official or make them feel in the wrong, though the man was obviously mortified when he read the invitation letter from an extremely high placed person. He couldn’t shepherd him fast enough through and out into arrivals. If my DH had decided to make a fuss, rather than be patient and compliant, things could have gone very differently.

He does have an after work beer in the hotel bar with colleagues but just keeps it very low key and usually turns in early because they have an early start to the day. He saw the story and said ‘ that is so not about a glass of wine’ .

amicissimma · 11/08/2018 15:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BunnyCarr · 11/08/2018 15:58

Nah.
There has to be more to it than that.
I lived in Dubai for over two years. They don't lock you up unless you have really stepped out of line with local customs and law.

I think this detained female is being economical with the truth.

RedBallpointPens · 11/08/2018 16:02

amicissimma, your final statement is really silly. Of course many in the UK think that the ways other countries are run are simply wrong, and I'm sure other people think the UK is wrong. Otherwise all the countries in the world would be run the same!

I know Britain has a colonial past and we should bare that in mind but it shouldn't be used to simply shut down debate. Nobody here is saying we should invade, but people are allowed to disagree with other countries' policies and are allowed to believe that the UK is better.

Personally I wouldn't consider going to a number of countries, even for a visit, because they have horrific records on women's rights. UAE is on my list of "not if you paid me".

Cblue · 11/08/2018 16:05

This is up there as one of the most reactionary posts I have read.
It is perfectly legal to drink in licensed premises. If you are living in Dubai and want to buy alcohol to drink at home then you need a licence.
If you are drunk in public it's an offence (UK drunk and disorderly equivalent).

You can not work in Dubai unless you have a business visa - did she have one? Flying in and out the country on a tourist visa would make immigration suspicious that she was working there (and she was!)

She is Swedish so isn't entitled to an on arrival visa and her visa had expired so she wasn't entitled to be in the country

She kicked off at immigration, argued and filmed them. They therefore tested her to see if she was drunk (given that no one in their right mind would have behaved in this way!!!). ....all countries would do this

She refused to leave the country so they have no option other than detain her

Did her DC have a visa? if they are detaining the mum they would have to take the kid too.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the way Dubai immigration behaved but there's an awful lot wrong with the way she behaved.

Also immigration DO NOT treat women as 2nd class citizens- it would be completely counter productive given they want tourists!

As for the 3 day toilet cleaning thing.......yeah, right....NOT....

I used to travel to Dubai for work (a week a month for 2 years) - and everything about this article is garbage

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