Arrested in Abu Dhabi for exposing a disabled park thief?

[yld200]

MY sister has lived in the UAE for 10 years now and has never had any issues with the law.

The laws there are designed to protect and favour the locals especially those with ties to the royal family. Her husband who is also an ex-pat works in hotels which is the only place alcohol can be served (bars/clubs must be attached to a hotel) and has witnessed many acts of favouritism towards locals. As much as people don't like it, it is what it is and I'm sure there are many other places around the world with similar laws.

I myself have been to Dubai 4 or 5 times now since my sister has lived there mainly as a stop over to Europe and have never had any issues. I personally think its one place that everyone should try to visit if they have the opportunity to see what they have been able to achieve in the past 15 years in terms of growth, buildings and tourist attractions.

 

[UP4014]

MY sister has lived in the UAE for 10 years now and has never had any issues with the law.

The laws there are designed to protect and favour the locals especially those with ties to the royal family. Her husband who is also an ex-pat works in hotels which is the only place alcohol can be served (bars/clubs must be attached to a hotel) and has witnessed many acts of favouritism towards locals. As much as people don't like it, it is what it is and I'm sure there are many other places around the world with similar laws.

I myself have been to Dubai 4 or 5 times now since my sister has lived there mainly as a stop over to Europe and have never had any issues. I personally think its one place that everyone should try to visit if they have the opportunity to see what they have been able to achieve in the past 15 years in terms of growth, buildings and tourist attractions.

I don't think anyone doubts what their own and borrowed money has built, but I think it's a bit of a house of cards. (maybe a reason to visit in itself while able).

But I have no desire to hand over my hard earned in the UAE.

 

[opusman]

I personally think its one place that everyone should try to visit if they have the opportunity to see what they have been able to achieve in the past 15 years in terms of growth, buildings and tourist attractions.

I refer you back to my comment about tall buildings and glitzy fountains. There are lots of theme parks in the world you can choose from.

 

[UP4014]

I refer you back to my comment about tall buildings and glitzy fountains. There are lots of theme parks in the world you can choose from.

Agree, Las Vegas here I come.....again.

 

[SeatBackForward]

For what it's worth...

UAE, concerned about militant Islam, passes law against race, faith hate
DUBAI | Mon Jul 20, 2015 9:48am EDT


link

 

[cmon0005]

But I have no desire to hand over my hard earned in the UAE.

If you think that way too, then you would never fly VA (partially owned by EY Abu Dhabi) or use any airline that uses Dnata ground services etc.
Not trying to pick just saying there are lots of businesses here and even in sin.etc. that are owned fully or partially by UAE and your money will go there anyway.

Personally I don't have a problem with UAE and love visiting there, just be sensible and don't be stupid is my advice and you will be fine.

 

[Melburnian1]

Well said, drron, BAM1748 and others.

Travelling via much of Asia - HKG, HND, ICN, MNL and even boring SIN to name a few - offers so much more, and I mean that in the best way. HKG's future may be cloudy in terms of human rights and SIN too may have its civil liberty restrictions and detractors (although Singaporeans sure know how to minimise graffiti!) but on any objective ranking AUH and other Middle Eastern localities are pretty close to bottom of the pile worldwide in how they treat foreigners, and retain a medieval way of thinking as they've never had The Enlightenment that proved so important in Western society.

That said, the so charming woman arrested in Abu Dhabi had her own agenda epitomised by her utterly charming attire that so vividly demonstrates what a gentle soul she is.

drron, your attachment was confronting but ought to be compulsory reading for every Australian.

 

[UP4014]

If you think that way too, then you would never fly VA (partially owned by EY Abu Dhabi) or use any airline that uses Dnata ground services etc.
Not trying to pick just saying there are lots of businesses here and even in sin.etc. that are owned fully or partially by UAE and your money will go there anyway.

Personally I don't have a problem with UAE and love visiting there, just be sensible and don't be stupid is my advice and you will be fine.

You are correct, I do not fly VA.

 

[cmon0005]

You are correct, I do not fly VA.

Do you fly SQ?

 

[JohnK]

If you think that way too, then you would never fly VA (partially owned by EY Abu Dhabi) or use any airline that uses Dnata ground services etc.
Not trying to pick just saying there are lots of businesses here and even in sin.etc. that are owned fully or partially by UAE and your money will go there anyway.

Some of those are beyond control and I personally would not want to do that much research to avoid some of those services.

Transitting the Middle East is not beyond our control though.

 

[UP4014]

Do you fly SQ?

I have never flown SQ. only ever a couple of VA to test them out, last one was 2002. Obviously I don't do airlines from the UAE.

 

[boomy]

Some of those are beyond control and I personally would not want to do that much research to avoid some of those services.

Transitting the Middle East is not beyond our control though.

Depends how you look at it.
In my case I have over a million QF points and need to fly to Europe a couple of times a year, then (as much as I prefer transit in SIN) I have no choice but to transit in DXB.
I did try to find award availability with BA but with no status had no luck, while on QF I can get almost any seat at any time.

Admittedly, I don't dislike DXB that much to make me fly BA Y all the to LHR

 

[opusman]

DXB airport is perfectly fine and the EK lounge is fantastic. I just have no desire to ever exit the airport except by A380 or B777

 

[JohnK]

Admittedly, I don't dislike DXB that much to make me fly BA Y all the to LHR

To each their own.

 

[Deleted member]

I see the woman in question this time has got her just desserts according to (Emirati) law. As she was apparently living there for a couple of years, its 'puzzling' that she didn't understand that you can't offend anyone there , without consequences, let alone plastering something on social media.[/QUOTE]

I find it ironic that "offending " someone, innocuous anywhere else in the world , is dealt with in such a disproportionate manner.
Mind you , booing at the footy here in Australia is fast becoming a major crime. Makes you wonder how Sir Richard Hadlee must have felt !!

 

[dajop]

I find it ironic that "offending " someone, innocuous anywhere else in the world , is dealt with in such a disproportionate manner.

Hmmm, tell that to the North Koreans. I think you will find there are many many countries that if you offend the wrong person, or group of people, it will be dealt with very harshly, it is certainly not innocuous anywhere else in the world. (example - in Singapore - a teenage boy was arrested for posting offensive video about Lee Kuan Yew, shortly after his death - although by the sounds of it, the video was pretty offensive, and I suspect the boy knew the consequences). We still do not know exactly the "back story" to this issue, and what exactly was posted. Was the picture captioned with something like "{expletive} arrogant {expletive} {reference to racial group of native citizens} parking in disabled spot" .... or was it simply "Oh, this person shouldn't be parking here"?

 

[Mal]

Deported Australian woman ‘insulted’ UAE car owner | The National

Bit more to this story according to UAE media, including missing her court trial.

Allegedly the FB post read:
"This is the trifecta of King Nobness. a) Hummer b) parking in disabled parking with no disability parking permit c) parking across not 1 but 2 disable parking spaces. And they have been doing this for weeks. At least they finally got a ticket... The obnoxious arrogance is so revolting I am actually almost impressed...."

 

[Mark3000]

Allegedly the FB post read:
"This is the trifecta of King Nobness. a) Hummer b) parking in disabled parking with no disability parking permit c) parking across not 1 but 2 disable parking spaces. And they have been doing this for weeks. At least they finally got a ticket... The obnoxious arrogance is so revolting I am actually almost impressed...."

Sounds like a reasonable post though, nothing inaccurate about that

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Anyone who has spent any time in the UAE or almost any Muslim country should know that it is not acceptable to use slang terms for genitalia in public discourse.
The use of such a term in her FB post was unnecessary and gratuitous, provocative and stupid.
Yes the Emiratis will use the law to seek revenge for insults to their pride, and that is often unreasonable, but in this case she put her head on the block.

 

[dajop]

Deported Australian woman ‘insulted’ UAE car owner | The National

Bit more to this story according to UAE media, including missing her court trial.

What is interesting, I think judging by comments in this thread, many of us assumed the aggrieved car owner was a UAE national, but maybe not so ..

The source said on February 24 a European woman complained to police that Magi and her husband had uploaded a picture of her parked car, along with “insulting and degrading words”.

Also, wonder went on prior to this between the arrested Australian and European complainant. Surely there must have been a connection between the two...