British woman faces up to 2 years in Dubai jail for using cuss word on WhatsApp

UK woman has been detained and is facing up to two years in Dubai jail for sending a cuss word in a private WhatsApp message to her flatmate who reported her. The unnamed British woman has recently revealed the “nightmare” she is currently going through to get back to the UK after she said ‘F*** you’ to her Ukrainian flatmate over the use of the dining room table while working from home in October 2020.

Following which she reportedly tried to leave the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and move back on January 30 after finding a new job. However, as per reports, she was pulled aside by the airport authorities who informed the 31-year-old woman that she can not leave the Gulf nation as there was an ongoing police case against her. Now the British woman is facing up to two years in jail or even thousands of pounds in a fine. 

While talking to The Sun, the British woman expressed her disbelief in the entire incident. She reportedly said, 'I can’t believe what my flatmate has done — she has been so spiteful. I pleaded with her to withdraw the complaint but she said, “This is a criminal case”.’ The 31-year-old had also told the Detained in Dubai how the pair had been ‘casual’ with each other and said she was shocked that the European was taking advantage of the stringent UAE laws.

Further relaying the experience, the UK woman said, “I’ve never been in trouble in my life, and I’m shocked that I’ve been criminalised over a private WhatsApp exchange with someone whom I lived with. ‘What’s worse, the messages were from months ago and only now, when I’ve shipped all of my belongings, booked a flight and when my visa is about to expire, do I even find out about this case. ‘I tried to plead with her to drop the case, but she doesn’t seem to care about the impact this is having.’”

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Article 373 of the UAE Penal Code

Saying the cuss work which UK woman used in her private chat with Ukrainian flatmate is considered a crime in Dubai. According to Article 373 of the UAE Penal Code, the word “disgraces the honour or the modesty” and using swear words on social media or other messaging platforms is also considered as a violation of the cyber law.

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