Tuesday, November 12, 2024 -A man is facing two years in prison in Dubai after posting a negative review of a dog grooming business.
Craig Ballentine, 33, accepted a role last year in a canine salon in
Dubai, where he worked for nearly six months.
According to the New York Post, Craig, from Belfast, was then diagnosed
with fibromyalgia and needed to take days off work.
He informed his boss and sent her his doctor’s note but against Dubai
employment law his they reported him as “absconded” with authorities, his
lawyers say.
This led to his unemployment and a travel ban on his passport that took
two months and thousands of pounds to remove, allowing him to return home to
Northern Ireland.
After returning home, Craig left a Google review of the grooming centre
and his former boss and the problems she had caused.
Three weeks ago, Craig visited Abu Dhabi for a short holiday with
friends – and was transported to Dubai to face charges of slander under the
UAE’s strict cybercrime laws.
He is now stuck in the country, absent from his employment as a
support worker with autistic people and facing two years in prison.
“We’ve seen people arrested for complaining to customer service or for
leaving online reviews on hotels and rental car agencies”, said Radha Stirling,
CEO of Detained in Dubai, who have been working to try and get Craig home.
“Craig has been advised by local lawyers there is almost zero chance of
the case against him being dropped.
“When someone is offended, even if they are at fault, they can open a
criminal prosecution out of spite. Craig deleted the post, apologised but still
faces jail. It’s outrageous.”
“We’ve seen people arrested for complaining to customer service or for
leaving online reviews on hotels and rental car agencies.”
“The UAE’s recently enacted
Cybercrime laws are a nightmare for foreigners.
“It is sufficient for a complainant to simply tell police that someone
posted something offensive or rude. The police don’t even need to see the
actual post.
“The complainants have all the power and often demand money from the
accused to close out the case.“
It’s a means for vindictive people to extort. Once a criminal case is
won, they can also open civil cases for massive damages – the system
incentivises it.
“Flatmates, co-workers and even spouses have abused this law and we find that
it’s often foreigners who are taking advantage.
“In this case, both parties are Western and most people wouldn’t dream
of opening a similar case in their own countries but seem quite happy to open
them in the UAE.”
Craig told Ms Stirling in a phone call that his mother was “so upset and
stressed she thought I was dead.”
Craig, who frequently volunteers in his local community, is scared and
desperate to return home.
“Craig needs to get home and get to work,” said Ms. Stirling.
It’s atrocious that authorities are allowing such frivolous criminal
reports to entangle visitors in the system.
“The sheer number of cybercrime reports they receive must be
significant. There are no protections or safeguards and people’s lives are
being ruined.
“We have reached out to Craig’s local representative, Michelle O’Neil to
implore her to make diplomatic representations to the UAE’s Ambassador and
FCDO.
“We hope she can assist in the same way Ireland helped Tori Towey come
home.”
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