British woman jailed in Dubai for calling her ex-partner's new wife a horse online

[Cherie]

She took her daughter to her ex-partners funeral and was detained even though the post was made two years ago

https://www.itv.com/news/2019-04-07/british-mother-faces-two-years-in-dubai-jail-and-50-000-fine-for-old-facebook-posts/


A British woman faces up to two years in jail and a £50,000 fine in Dubai for calling her deceased ex-husband's wife "a horse" in a 2016 Facebook post.

Londoner Laleh Shahravesh said she insulted her former husband's wife on Facebook as she felt "angry and betrayed" after seeing pictures of their wedding mere months after he had suddenly served her with divorce papers.

Ms Shahravesh was arrested along with her 14-year-old daughter, Paris, for breaking Dubai’s cybercrime laws when they returned to the country on March 10 for Pedro's funeral after his death from a heart attack at the age of 51 a week before.

The laws mean that an old social media post from before a person visits Dubai can see them heavily fined and jailed for years if they ever visit the desert state.

After her arrest, police took Ms Shahravesh's passport and she is unable to leave the country.

Paris flew home alone on her scheduled flight five days later and has been staying with relatives.

[Niamh.]

Ridiculous

[Cherie]

I've been to Dubai but I doubt I would ever go again, it seems to incarcerate people for the most minor misdemeanours, the poor kid having to travel home on her own

[Niamh.]

My cousin has lived there for years with her family as her husband works in Emirates Airline and her sister has moved out there aswell, never had any problems. I don't know how comfortable I'd personally feel in a country that has such backward laws, specifically around women though

[arista]

If only she did not post on Facebook while in the UK
and call the Lady a
"Horse."

One Word
has got her locked away.

[bots]

We need to be very careful of where internet regulation is going, we should not be blind to the fact that the UK is at the forefront of regulating it. While regulation in itself is great for removing terrorist propaganda and fake news for example, the laws being brought in are much more restrictive than that and open to abuse

[Oliver_W]

worldwide First Amendment tbh

[user104658]

We need to be very careful of where internet regulation is going, we should not be blind to the fact that the UK is at the forefront of regulating it. While regulation in itself is great for removing terrorist propaganda and fake news for example, the laws being brought in are much more restrictive than that and open to abuse

I agree and in all honesty, anyone who hasn't completely deleted their old social media accounts that go back years and (if still using social media at all) switched to fresh, HEAVILY controlled profiles is being flat out stupid. If there's even a CHANCE that you made a dodgy joke 10 years ago that you don't remember, back when no one cared, burn the entire account and start a new one. I don't have any social media account that's more than 2 years old and I'm very, very selective about what I'll post on them.

On the plus side; it might mean a resurgence of anonymous / semi-anonymous social internet, like forums :hee:.

[Cherie]

to put it in context the new partner took the complaint to the police at the time, and we can only assume that she then followed up when the ex came out for his funeral, I don't think the authorities had a exclamation mark pop up over her name when she landed in Dubai, and deletion of the material wouldn't have helped as I would imagine they had screen shots

[user104658]

to put it in context the new partner took the complaint to the police at the time, and we can only assume that she then followed up when the ex came out for his funeral, I don't think the authorities had a exclamation mark pop up over her name when she landed in Dubai, and deletion of the material wouldn't have helped as I would imagine they had screen shots

I don't mean delete it before going abroad; I mean delete it today and set up a fresh account and never post anything like this (even jokingly) under your full real name anywhere online again.

It's not just a "foreign country problem", the UK is headed firmly in the direction of strict internet regulation and it's not worth taking the risk of old posts coming back to haunt you. The internet was free and open 5, 10, 20 years ago and most of us who have been using it for a long time didn't expect it to go this way... and many of us were kids / teens with the internet... and posted things we wouldn't post knowing what we know now. It's not worth the risk. Burn it and start fresh with a more cautious and professional mindset; save even vaguely contentious statements for places where your real name isn't attached explicitly to every word. The era of being able to safely post whatever you want on twitter or facebook is dying, if not already dead, and there will be more and more stories like this one in our own country as time goes on.

[Cherie]

I don't mean delete it before going abroad; I mean delete it today and set up a fresh account and never post anything like this (even jokingly) under your full real name anywhere online again.

It's not just a "foreign country problem", the UK is headed firmly in the direction of strict internet regulation and it's not worth taking the risk of old posts coming back to haunt you. The internet was free and open 5, 10, 20 years ago and most of us who have been using it for a long time didn't expect it to go this way... and many of us were kids / teens with the internet... and posted things we wouldn't post knowing what we know now. It's not worth the risk. Burn it and start fresh with a more cautious and professional mindset; save even vaguely contentious statements for places where your real name isn't attached explicitly to every word. The era of being able to safely post whatever you want on twitter or facebook is dying, if not already dead, and there will be more and more stories like this one in our own country as time goes on.



oh yes I agree, I am the ultimate secret squirrel.. :laugh:

[Sticks]

They should throw the book at her and give her the maximum sentence

She was acting as a troll back then it is time trolls were made an example of.

[arista]

They should throw the book at her and give her the maximum sentence

She was acting as a troll back then it is time trolls were made an example of.


One Word "Horse"
used on Facebook while in the UK.


Its not that bad.

[Underscore]

If you know a country hands down punishments like that, don't bloody well go!

I've been to Dubai three times, experienced no problems and neither has the vast majority of tourists. You know Dubai has harsh punishments, so stick to the law

[Sticks]

One Word "Horse"
used on Facebook while in the UK.


Its not that bad.

It was a derogatory comment of a personal nature, ergo it was trolling.

[Elliot]

A British woman faces up to two years in jail and a £50,000 fine in Dubai for calling her deceased ex-husband's wife "a horse" in a 2016 Facebook post.

What on earth LOL

[Elliot]

And why r people defending this skjskjs

[Cherie]

If you know a country hands down punishments like that, don't bloody well go!

I've been to Dubai three times, experienced no problems and neither has the vast majority of tourists. You know Dubai has harsh punishments, so stick to the law

She took her daughter for her Dads funeral, and Im pretty sure she never thought calling someone a 'horse' online would land her in prison

[bots]

The whole thing is completely stupid. I mean, why didn't the police simply tell the aggrieved party to take a walk (trot?) when the horse comment was reported

anyway

#justice4horses

[Oliver_W]

Plot twist: the guy actually married a horse.

[bots]

After paying a fine, she has now been freed

[The Slim Reaper]

It's all turned out equine and dandy, and that's the mane thing.

[arista]

After paying a fine, she has now been freed




Thats Good news

https://news.sky.com/story/laleh-shahravesh-in-court-in-dubai-as-lawyer-hired-by-ex-husbands-new-wife-11690377

[The Slim Reaper]

I hope that woman's family sent her some sugarcubes as a thank you for dropping it.

[Niamh.]

That's enough now SR, rein it in :nono:

[The Slim Reaper]

Sorry, I'm having a mare.

[bots]

She will be bolting back to the UK no doubt

[Sticks]

Thats Good news

https://news.sky.com/story/laleh-shahravesh-in-court-in-dubai-as-lawyer-hired-by-ex-husbands-new-wife-11690377

Can we trust Sky News :nono:

Is this from the [CENSORED DUE TO DUBAI LEGAL REASONS]

[The Slim Reaper]

She will be bolting back to the UK no doubt

Neigh doubt about it.

[Niamh.]

Can we trust Sky News :nono:

Is this from the [CENSORED DUE TO DUBAI LEGAL REASONS]

:laugh:

[Niamh.]

She got saddled with a big fine in the end?

[Crimson Dynamo]

If this had been a stable relationship none of this would have happened

[The Slim Reaper]

I just hope she ponied up the fine and got out of there quick.

[Livia]

Sorry, I'm having a mare.

She will be bolting back to the UK no doubt

She got saddled with a big fine in the end?

If this had been a stable relationship none of this would have happened

I just hope she ponied up the fine and got out of there quick.

This is why I come back here.

[arista]

Can we trust Sky News :nono:

Is this from the [CENSORED DUE TO DUBAI LEGAL REASONS]



Yes Sticks
Sky is now owned by NBC (Comcast)
your hatred for Murdoch
is fine
But he sold it all to USA NBC

[bots]

Hope it doesn't stirrup further trouble

[Cherie]

Did they make this decision on the hoof

[Crimson Dynamo]

I am surprised Smithy is not posting about this?

(one for the knitting club there)

[bots]

shows that a bridle do anything to protect her reputation

[arista]

1116609712852574208

[Ammi]

1116609712852574208

....very emotional...an awful time for her but now she’s back with her loved ones...

[Sticks]

Let's not forget that this woman is now a convicted criminal and would be barred entry to the USA. As far as I know she will also have a criminal record here in the UK, so also banned from certain professions where children and vulnerable adults are concerned.

[The Slim Reaper]

Let's not forget that this woman is now a convicted criminal and would be barred entry to the USA. As far as I know she will also have a criminal record here in the UK, so also banned from certain professions where children and vulnerable adults are concerned.


Every cloud...I'm sure she won't have a long face about it.

[Cherie]

oh bless her, genuine emotion there, it must have been hell not knowing when you are going to get back home.

[Mystic Mock]

Why was a country arresting someone over a trivial comment made on Social Media?:confused:

I know that every country has backwards laws, but this one just doesn't even make sense in the slightest.

[Mystic Mock]

Let's not forget that this woman is now a convicted criminal and would be barred entry to the USA. As far as I know she will also have a criminal record here in the UK, so also banned from certain professions where children and vulnerable adults are concerned.

Will the USA even take this charge seriously though? I mean she insulted someone on Twitter, that's hardly a criminal now is it?:laugh:

[The Slim Reaper]

On a serious note, it should give people pause before they just put stuff out on social media; you could almost say...less haste, more steed.

[Sticks]

Will the USA even take this charge seriously though? I mean she insulted someone on Twitter, that's hardly a criminal now is it?:laugh:

Irrelevant how trivial it may seem, it is still a criminal conviction and US immigration is quite strict on this, especially under Trump.

[DouglasS]

What a waste of police time, a post before the law even came into place, also when she wasn’t even in the country. Probably 25% of the world visitors to Dubai are now criminals. Over half the people on this forum have done the same, are we all criminals when we visit Dubai now?

[Mystic Mock]

Irrelevant how trivial it may seem, it is still a criminal conviction and US immigration is quite strict on this, especially under Trump.

Yeah but it's not really a criminal offence is my point so surely the USA can't punish someone over something that isn't even illegal to say in their own country? She's not a danger to their people.

[Vicky.]

We need to be very careful of where internet regulation is going, we should not be blind to the fact that the UK is at the forefront of regulating it. While regulation in itself is great for removing terrorist propaganda and fake news for example, the laws being brought in are much more restrictive than that and open to abuse

Agree 100% with this.

Honestly, I find the amount of censorship on the internet quite scary.

[Vicky.]

I agree and in all honesty, anyone who hasn't completely deleted their old social media accounts that go back years and (if still using social media at all) switched to fresh, HEAVILY controlled profiles is being flat out stupid. If there's even a CHANCE that you made a dodgy joke 10 years ago that you don't remember, back when no one cared, burn the entire account and start a new one. I don't have any social media account that's more than 2 years old and I'm very, very selective about what I'll post on them.

On the plus side; it might mean a resurgence of anonymous / semi-anonymous social internet, like forums :hee:.
Again, agree with this, but the bolded part..forums and such are considered social media aren't they?

I rant on facebook all the time about random ****. I just put up a bit of a rant about yet another woman killed in a 'sex game gone wrong' which is just utter bollocks and excuses.

I find it very hard NOT to post about stuff like that, I should maybe really just delete my facebook and even forum posts and just start fresh, unless I want a random criminal record entry, to go along with my current ones. Couldn't go to America or anything anyway I don't think :laugh:

AFAIK, my FB is private, I am sure I have set it so people cannot even search me...like they see none of my posts if they do. I did have it set so search did not work at all, but that options seems to have disappeared now :S But my few forum accounts are obviously not private.

[Sticks]

Yeah but it's not really a criminal offence is my point so surely the USA can't punish someone over something that isn't even illegal to say in their own country? She's not a danger to their people.

If it is a criminal offence anywhere, in this case Dubai,, it counts as one to US immigration, end of.

[Livia]

If it is a criminal offence anywhere, in this case Dubai,, it counts as one to US immigration, end of.

This is true. She could still get a visa although there are several hoops to jump through, including an interview. Then the embassy would hold her passport for at least a month while her application was processed. They take the offence into account and calling someone a horse on Facebook probably doesn't score very high... but you never know.

[Sticks]

If you think that is extreme, if you are arrested, but never charged with anything, you still can be excluded from the US. US immigration is ultra strict.

[Livia]

If you think that is extreme, if you are arrested, but never charged with anything, you still can be excluded from the US. US immigration is ultra strict.

Yes, they take it all very seriously. Actually, they take it seriously even if you've never been arrested. I work in the Middle East a bit and I'm always ages at immigration explaining the stamps.