Dubai Government Jails Nigerian Lady Over Twitter Posts

A Nigerian lady who was allegedly detained by the Dubai authorities over a Twitter post on the ill-treatment of some Nigerians at Dubai International Airport, United Arab Emirates, has attracted lots of reactions.

Dinchi Lar’s family took to the streets of Abuja to protest her detention seeking the Federal Government’s intervention in the matter.

Lar had in a series of tweets alleged the high-handedness of the authorities of the airport, saying, “I’m at Dubai international airport, myself and some other Nigerians with valid visas are being held in a room hours after arriving with no explanation and no information on what we can do. Please help me. There are more than 20 of us here.

“My sister had to go through immigration to get me released. It was a tedious process. Others are still there and I don’t know their status (sic).

“What happens if you have no family here? Nobody knows what is going on,” she added.

In a response to her tweet, the Federal Ministry of Foreign affairs issued a statement dated Thursday, September 14, 2022, and signed by the spokesperson of the ministry, Mrs. Francisca Omayuli, it read, “The attention of the Federal Government of Nigeria has been drawn to a video on the social media, showing purportedly stranded Nigerians, who arrived the Airport in Dubai, UAE on August 29, 2022, but were denied entry into the country, despite having valid visas.

“The Nigerian Mission in Dubai has clarified that most of the supposedly stranded Nigerians were issued with family visas, only to arrive in Dubai alone without any family member.

“Consequently, they were denied entry and advised to return to their country and apply for the appropriate visas.

“However, those persons allowed entry into the country has their family members in the UAE. While those who claimed their family members were on another flight, were told to wait at the airport, pending their arrival,” the statement added.

The ministry further advised traveling Nigerians to note and be guided that the Government of the UAE has introduced a new visa regime and has stopped issuing tourist visas to persons under the age of 40 years, except for those applying for family visas.

Following the released statement by the Nigerian Government, they reportedly picked the lady up and detained her since September 6, 2022.

According to a graphic illustration posted by the family members and friends who protested in the early hours of Sunday, October 23, 2022, “Dinchi Lar has been detained in Dubai since September 6 by Dubai Authorities for speaking out (on Twitter) against the bad treatment of Nigerians in Dubai airports…we stand for your release!”

Another tweep, jerrydoubles, tweeted, “It is sad and regrettably heartrending to tell you all that Dunchi was sentenced on 12th Oct 22, to 1yr in jail in Dubai. Her family is devastated and Nigeria didn’t save her.”

Meanwhile the social media laws of UAE, and a website, Dubai OFW, expressly stated that “ranting or sharing hate posts could lead to serious punishment in the country.

“Six months jail term and a fine of AED 25,000 await those who use social networks for the purpose of defamation of or offending another person or attacking or invading one’s privacy.

Another section of the law on the website is Article 29 of the country’s law which spoke on the damage to the reputation of the UAE president, Vice President, and emirate rulers which attracts a fine of AED 1 million fine plus temporary imprisonment.