Unethical places/countries to not visit?

[CatZoned]

I would like to do more world travelling but don’t want to visit unethical places/countries, for example Dubai. Which countries should I add to my list and why?

Yep, Singapore is sooooo terrible.

When I lived there it was so awful knowing that I could walk round town at 2am, a bit drunk, and no one would come near me. I was safe. In fact, if I got in a taxi with a Singaporean he’d tell me off for bringing drunk, and make sure I got through my door safely.

The next day my neighbour could send their young DC in a taxi to school, without even having to think about the safety of their child.

However, if you sell drugs, rape someone, kill someone or are a paedo you will at best get lashed, at worst you’ll be hung. That is the price for living in a safe, disciplined, well organised, prosperous country and it’s worth it.

Having lived there and in the UK, I can tell you that of the 2, it is the UK that is the shit show and the one to be avoided. If I was overseas and I read about grooming rapist gangs, and a child who was lost for 30 seconds outside Harrods and abducted and abused, I wouldn’t set foot in this place with my DC.

I think I was one who mentioned Singapore (as being on the list of countries which executes).

Whilst I understand what you are saying, having also lived there, I am going to offer up this man who murdered his own child, to spite his ex-wife and now lives as if it never happened. He was enabled in getting away with murder by the Singaporean judiciary.

https://amp.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2007449/belgian-expat-jailed-5-years-killing-son-singapore

I grew up in the era of the Birmingham 6, and find this just as appalling.
It seems to have utterly lost your moral compass to be in support of caning. I can’t help you with that.

Yes, that case is horrible, and he should feel the full force of the Singaporean law. It’s not unusual for them to be more lenient on expats. They usually just chuck them out.

This is a rare case though. In general it is a much safer and less corrupt place than the UK, where even our own PM doesn’t want to have a full enquiry into rape gangs because he himself will come under scrutiny.

As for MY moral compass. Well, to my knowledge I don’t break laws so I'm happy with which way mines pointed.

I would not go to Russia or North Korea.

Israel, which Amnesty International has just concluded is responsible for widespread genocide?

sonjadog Faroes are* *involved in annual whale slaughter which would put me off...

OP, I think there is also a difference between visiting a country you know has problems with your eyes wide open, vs visiting countries that try to sell a Disney version of themselves while hiding a dark side. I think this is why Dubai bothers so many people.

I would visit many countries with human rights problems because it’s important to have an awareness of the world, visiting these places could help the local economy and building cross cultural connections and understanding can be extremely valuable. So, I would visit a poor rural region with serious human rights problems, but I would try to do so with my eyes wide open.

I am really uncomfortable about places like Dubai because they are trying to create a false image for tourists and I know my visit would do nothing to help all those oppressed people that have no voice in the region. In fact, it could make life worse for them as Dubai continues to profit from greed and slavery.

Really?
So when was the last time you visited, lets just say, Tijuana in Mexico.
Or Rwanda?
And not just the airport or city centres, you decide just to venture off into a poor rural region with serious human rights problems...
Just you. Just strolling around with you eyes wide open as you say...
Helping the local economy with your cash...
Building cross cultural connections as you sit down for tea & buns with the machete gangs to really understand where the anger is coming from...
And its an important meeting to give you appropriate context, because next you're off to visit the victims who are still alive, to be a listening ear and understand how you change things...

Unless you have your own army with you it all sounds a bit idealistic 'Main Character in your own movie' day-dreaming to me I'm afraid...

@sometimesmovingforwards

goodness, that’s a bit harsh and quite a few wrong assumptions there. I grew up in a poor country that had a lot of problems and have direct experience of poor rural communities. I am not suggesting the OP do anything silly as you suggest. There is a middle ground! For example, Indonesia has a very troubling human rights record, especially if you are gay, but I would be very interested in some of the eco tourism is offers. On that trip, I would expect to see a different side to the country and it would be immensely valuable.

(Just to add- why are mumsnet posters so mean and enthusiastic about personal attacks?? 🙃)

The UK is an unethical country surely as we're supplying weapons that are killing people in Gaza, to take one example - hard to find somewhere that isn't

Middle East definitely, Russia obviously, anywhere on the foreign office red list, but others on a case by case basis eg staying in local family owned hotels is doing good