Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. But this crime sounds a bit, well, dumb. A man is facing up to two years in prison over a bad review for a dog grooming business.
The incident happened in Dubai, where laws are a bit stricter than they are here in the United States. So what exactly happened? 33-year-old Craig Ballentine agreed to work at a dog grooming business in Dubai. He ended up working there for six months, but doctors later diagnosed him with fibromyalgia. So, he needed a couple of days off work, which the employer refused.
She reported him as "absconded" from his duties to the authorities. It led to him getting a travel ban and being unemployed. It took months and thousands to remove it from his record so he could go home to Ireland. Once he finally made it back, Craig left a negative review for the dog grooming business for all of the trouble.
Fast forward, and Craig goes on holiday to Abu Dhabi. Authorities ended up arresting him for slander due to the dog grooming review. He's now facing up to two years in Dubai 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. "Craig has been advised by local lawyers that 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, apologized, but still faces jail. It's outrageous."
From Dog Grooming to Prison
Other people have been arrested for less.
Stirling continued, "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 the 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."
Stirling says that Craig could also face a civil case from the dog grooming business.
"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," Stirling said. "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."
