A student faces being jailed in a UAE prison for a year after she was accused of “assaulting and insulting” staff while transiting through the airport in Dubai.
Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos, 21, had intended to spend just six hours in the terminal as she transited from Istanbul, Turkey, to her home city of New York.
But a charity representing her said she endured “degrading, painful and humiliating searches” and was later detained following an altercation with local authorities. The student then spent months in the Emirate fighting a legal battle while having to spend around £41,000 on expenses and court costs.
She now fears that she will be locked up in Al Awir prison in Dubai, which activists have criticised for its brutal treatment of inmates.
The charity Detained in Dubai, which represents people fighting legal action in the UAE, said Elizabeth may be permitted to return to the US in the coming days.
But founder Radha Stirling said the young woman was still facing the possibility of completing her whole sentence in the foreign country.
She said: “Elizabeth is extremely worried that she will be detained in the notorious Al Awir prison and won’t (as promised) be allowed to leave the country.
“Even if she is allowed to be deported tomorrow, she will remain in prison until then, not knowing whether there will be further delays or whether in fact, she will end up forced to serve the whole sentence.
“This is an extreme situation for a 21-year-old to go through.”
She added: “Elizabeth’s experience transiting through Dubai International Airport has left our organisation, Detained in Dubai, calling for increased travel warnings to US citizens.”
Ms Stirling said Elizabeth’s ordeal began as she was making her way through the international hub of Dubai Airport on 14 July.
She claims the student was “humiliated and traumatised” by staff and later denied the chance to leave the country.
“Elizabeth only intended to transit through Dubai for six hours but she’s been there for months on end and has lost $50,000 in expenses and lawyers costs,” said Ms Stirling.
“On top of being humiliated and traumatised by airport staff, Elizabeth has suffered months of being forced to stay in an expensive country, pay expensive lawyers and miss out on her university studies.
“The US Embassy and Elizabeth’s congressional…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Independent Travel…