NYC college student sentenced to year in Dubai prison after touching airport security guard’s arm

[Street Knowledge]

NYC college student sentenced to year in Dubai prison after touching airport security guard’s arm

Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos, 21, was sentenced Monday after spending months trapped in Dubai because of a travel ban.

nypost.com

NYC college student sentenced to year in Dubai prison after touching airport security guard’s arm​

A New York City college student was sentenced to one year behind bars by the United Arab Emirates for allegedly “assaulting and insulting” an airport security guard during a flight connection in Dubai over the summer, according to reports.

Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos, 21, a student at Lehman College in the Bronx, was handed her sentence Monday after spending nearly three months effectively trapped in Dubai with a travel ban issued against her, according to the advocacy group Detained in Dubai.

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“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 Detained in Dubai founder Radha Stirling.

“On top of being humiliated and traumatized 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.”

Los Santos’ ordeal began on July 14, as she and a friend were heading home to New York from a vacation in Istanbul.

Their initial itinerary had them connecting home through Paris, but they changed the flight to transfer in Dubai so they could see the famous city during a 10-hour layover.

Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos, 21, is reportedly a student at Lehman College in the Bronx, but she remains in Dubai.

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Los Santos was then detained in a room for hours as the security guard she touched filed a complaint against her, and wasn’t allowed to leave until she signed a form written in Arabic.

When she returned to the airport later to catch her flight to New York, she was informed of the travel ban filed against her and was forced to remain in the country until the charges against her were heard in court.

After she had to stay in hotels for weeks, a judge allowed her to pay 10,000 AED (about $2,700 US) and be on her way, but Dubai prosecutors appealed the ruling and she was finally sentenced to a year in prison Monday.

“She is under the most incredible stress which is impacting her physical and mental health, disrupting her entire life and scarring her long-term,” said Stirling. “This is simply no way to treat visitors. It’s outrageous.”

 

[Luke Cage]

People still going to countries with these restrictive laws and bringing that "customer is always right, i get to yell and scream at people when i get bad service/mistreated" attitudes with them

 

[Cryptocurrency Scarface]

The country is run by terrible people

 

[TELL ME YA CHEESIN FAM?]

She fukked around and found out
Keep your hands to yourself

 

[DaPresident]

Touch peoples arms brehettes

 

[LordDeathwatch]

People still going to countries with these restrictive laws and bringing that "customer is always right, i get to yell and scream at people when i get bad service/mistreated" attitudes with them

I don't even travel to other states without knowing what laws might be out of the ordinary just so I don't get caught lacking and these fools going to different countries without knowing shyt? Am I the only one with parents who drilled "Be aware of your surroundings" into your mind?

 

[FishNGrits]

obviously that’s excessive but the whole world ain’t the west. You have to move accordingly, plus there is no reason to have your hands on anyone else. I ain’t ever touch a TSA employee

 

[Devilinurear]

People still going to countries with these restrictive laws and bringing that "customer is always right, i get to yell and scream at people when i get bad service/mistreated" attitudes with them

Smh
It was a connecting flight

Seems like they are on some bullshyt. I don't understand why the US didn't get her out of there.

 

[KeysT]

Smh
It was a connecting flight

Seems like they are on some bullshyt. I don't understand why the US didn't get her out of there.

She wanted to leave to airport during the layover to see the city. Not sure how this happened but no reason to touch anyone. As a US citizen they ask you a couple questions stamp you and send you in your way usually.

Edit read more. She had just got a tummy tuck and probably felt some type of way when the female agents were laughing at her for getting surgery. Tried to move one of them out of the way to ask her friend to help her put her wrapping back on and now she learned a lesson. Everywhere isn’t the states.

 

[StackorStarve]

She let her emotions get the best of her. The sentence is outrageous but Americans/westerners need to learn a lot of people in other countries don’t mess around when it comes to disrespect especially from a woman. Zero tolerance.

 

[TELL ME YA CHEESIN FAM?]

She let her emotions get the best of her. The sentence is outrageous but Americans/westerners need to learn a lot of people in other countries don’t mess around when it comes to disrespect especially from a woman. Zero tolerance.

That's not excessive for UAE
I wouldn't want a porta baby to grab me either

 

[CouldntBeMeTho]

Need some of that here

I welcome sharia law at this point

 

[No Homo]

While passing through security, Dubai airport staff requested that Los Santos remove a waist compressor she was required to wear after a recent surgery.

Shown to a private booth, female staff members removed the compressor, but Los Santos’ mother told Detained in Dubai they were rough and hurt her daughter’s still-healing surgery scars.

They also laughed at her, and when she asked for help to put the complicated garment back on, they refused.

“I was feeling uncomfortable and afraid. I felt really violated,” Los Santos said.

The compressor had “many, many pins and you need to stretch the edges and clip small, skinny pins together close to the body,” she said, and as staff continued to ignore her pleas for help, Los Santos leaned past a security guard blocking her way and called out for her friend to come and help her.

“I gently touched her arm to guide her out of the way, then desperately started crying to my friend for help,” she told Detained in Dubai
Los Santos was then detained in a room for hours as the security guard she touched filed a complaint against her, and wasn’t allowed to leave until she signed a form written in Arabic.

 

[Neuromancer]

Why even go there?

 

[ThaBronxBully]

She Went To Istanbul To Get Her Body Done