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British tourist sentenced to three months in Dubai jail for ‘insulting’ airport staff (www.independent.co.uk)

submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by [email protected] to c/world

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A UK citizen has been sentenced to three months in jail in Dubai after “insulting” airport staff who were slow to bring his mother a wheelchair.

The unnamed man was originally issued a Dh 10,000 (£2,150) fine, but his appeal against this failed and his punishment was extended to a jail term on 6 November.

An airport employee told the court that the man swore at her after she had explained the airport’s wheelchair policy to him, telling him that “a wheelchair would be made available before boarding the bus”.

“When I tried to explain it to him, he insulted me using very bad language. I told the traveller that using such offensive language is not allowed at Dubai airport but he responded that he didn’t care.”

The employee then called the police, and a case was filed against the man in Dubai’s Criminal Court. Following an appeal, which he lost, the fine was escalated into a jail sentence, followed by immediate deportation.

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[–] orgrinrt 15 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Still, 2.7k fine for an insult, in a single instance, is already bonkers, but three months jail time?

Whatever your stance on whether or not the guy should be punished, the extent of this punishment here really shouldn’t sound fair or just in any way

[+] [email protected] -9 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

I'm thinking about it from the staff's point of view.

I have mental health problems and an interaction like that would make it difficult for me to work.

His little outburst will actively affect the member of staff. Weird how no one is mentioning that.

I think it's totally fair personally.

[–] orgrinrt 9 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

To fine an absurd amount and/or send them to jail for 3 whole months?

If one person being an ass causes one to spiral bad enough to warrant that kind of sentences, I would hazard a guess that they are extremely likely on a wrong occupational path. There’s no way interactions like that aren’t weekly for everyone working any service gig.

I get that it has an effect and nobody should behave like that, but I can’t believe anyone would deem these as proportional punishments.

You likely get same 3 months jail here where I live (a western social democracy) for manslaughter, if you are first-time offender. Depending on a lot of course, but that anyone would consider these appropriate seems insane to me.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Section 4A of the Public Order Act 1986 regulates the intentional causing of harassment, alarm or distress. It is a summary offence, which means it is tried in the Magistrates Court. The maximum penalty for committing this offence is 6 months imprisonment or a fine. If the offence was racially aggravated, the Crown Court can impose a 2-year custodial sentence.

Pretty standard really. This is from the UK

[–] orgrinrt 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

I don’t know UK law, but I’d be surprised if that would be applied in a similar case. Maybe someone can educate me here and give examples of such rulings, but I feel like the wording is so vague and wide, that this very same law could be applied to wildly different and much more serious and alarming cases, entirely on a different level.

If getting frustrated and calling a service worker names in a single, non-recurring instance, warrants anything more than a small fine at the very worst in the UK, I will be very surprised. But I’m willing to accept that’s a thing there, just not convinced by that quote alone.

“Pretty standard really” sounds very wild a statement, but then again, maybe UK is weird like that.

Edit: At this point I’m just very surprised to learn so many are of this opinion, so I’m just trying to get my bearings and understand if this is a common sentiment and way to look at things. I’d really like to know more if something like this truly is commonplace in a western country at this day and age.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

At the end of the day people don't go into work to feel threatened and scared for their safety.

Why the hell should people be allowed to do it? I'm surprised by the amount of people who think this is fine and shouldn't be punished harshly tbh.

[–] orgrinrt 3 points 10 months ago

Well, I for one never said that it’s okay. And it isn’t. But there’s a long gap between “not fine, should have consequences” to “3 months in jail”.

Obviously people don’t go to work to get abused, I don’t think anyone claimed that. It’s hard to imagine anyone thinking that people should go to work to get abused. That’s just a weird thing to say.