AP reports that Ryan Pate, a helicopter mechanic, took to Facebook while in Florida after a dispute over sick leave with his company and when he returned to Abu Dhabi last month, he was told to report to the police station, where he was arrested for breaking a United Arab Emirates law on slandering his employer. Pate was shown screenshots of the Facebook message and told his employer had filed charges accusing him of breaking wide-ranging Emirates laws that ban slander. The laws were introduced in late 2012 and make it an offense to use the net to mock or deride organizations and individuals. Pate spent about 10 days in jail and is now free on bail awaiting a March 17 trial. His supporters say he faces up to five years in prison and a steep fine if convicted. "I just couldn't register it in my head because as an American growing up in the United States, the First Amendment right is just ingrained in my brain," says Pate. "I never even entertained the fact that I would wind up in prison out here for something I put on Facebook in the United States."
Pate's congressman, Rep. David Jolly, intervened on his constituent's behalf, lobbying the State Department and Emirates officials for help. In a letter to the Emirati attorney general, Jolly emphasized respect for the sovereignty of the country, but argued because the posts occurred while Pate was on American soil, those laws shouldn't apply. "It is deeply troubling that Mr. Pate now faces judicial proceedings over an action that was done legally in his home country," says Jolly. Speaking via phone from his apartment in Abu Dhabi, Pate was remorseful. βI just want to apologize to everybody I dragged into this,β he said. βIt is embarrassing, and I never meant for this to happen. I let my emotions get the better of me.β
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 09 2015, @08:03PM
Dubai is one of the major air travel hubs nowadays.
This arrest could be due to something more "personal" (e.g. he offended someone high up). Otherwise if the UAE is having a change of policy/heart on enforcement, many air-travellers would want to know (and try to avoid Dubai and UAE), since they probably have broken UAE laws too.
Or the next time they fly one of the UAE airlines and say it sucks and others should avoid it, they might get in trouble too.
(Score: 2) by CRCulver on Monday March 09 2015, @09:03PM
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Nobuddy on Monday March 09 2015, @09:37PM
I have to assume you have never travelled to UAE.
Their passport clearance and customs are some of the easiest and most reasonable I have ever gone through. The US is far far far far far far far far---fucking FAR worse than UAE.
far.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 09 2015, @10:45PM
Jailing someone for four years because they found three poppy seeds on his shirt is far^n more reasonable than the US. What does the TSA lock people up for life if they have heard of poppy seeds?
(Score: 2) by CRCulver on Monday March 09 2015, @11:27PM
(Score: 3, Insightful) by tangomargarine on Tuesday March 10 2015, @12:43AM
Well sure, why wouldn't they be? Nobody is trying to suicide bomb THEM.
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 10 2015, @02:51AM
Nobody is trying to suicide bomb the US or TSA either. Maybe a nutjob every couple years tries it, but that's it, its nothing outside of an extremely rare and unusual occurrence.
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Thursday March 12 2015, @08:17PM
Maybe no one *currently.* I don't think it's much of a stretch to call 9/11 a concerted suicide bombing attempt. Planes explode when they hit buildings. Or start on fire. Or something.
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 4, Interesting) by kaszz on Monday March 09 2015, @11:29PM
It's probably time to put an end to that and route air traffic to through countries that won't harass passengers.