Female Student Detained in Dubai for Over Two Months Following Humiliating Airport Strip-Search
A 21-year-old student, Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos, has been detained for over two months in Dubai following a humiliating strip search at the airport.
Dubai, September 18: A 21-year-old student, Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos, has been detained for over two months in Dubai following a humiliating strip search at the airport. The incident occurred when Elizabeth, a business arts student and retail worker, was travelling home to New York from Istanbul with a friend, requiring a layover in Dubai on July 14. According to multiple reports, during a security check at Dubai International Airport, Elizabeth was allegedly subjected to what she described as "degrading, painful, and humiliating" searches.
Complicating matters, she was required to wear a medical waist trainer suit around her torso due to recent abdominal surgery in the US. Airport security personnel instructed her to remove the waist trainer for inspection, leading to her being placed in a booth with plain-clothed female customs officers in local dress. Elizabeth found it impossible to remove and reattach the garment herself, leading to discomfort and fear. Dubai Fire: Kerala Couple Who Died in Apartment Building Blaze Were Preparing Ramadan Iftar Meal for Muslim Neighbours.
The situation escalated when the customs officers began removing the trainer in a rough manner and refused to help her put it back on. Elizabeth questioned why she could not undergo an X-ray instead of the invasive search but could not communicate her concerns as one officer obstructed her view of her friend behind the curtain. Detained in Dubai, a human rights organisation supporting Elizabeth explained that she was left "half-naked, humiliated, and in a state of panic and misery." Dubai Hummer Video: Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan's 46-Feet Hummer H1 X3 Towers Over Other Vehicles, Watch Jaw-Dropping Clip.
Authorities subsequently detained her for "assaulting and insulting" a female customs officer. She spent several additional hours in custody while a complaint was filed against her, apologising for the alleged touching. Elizabeth was eventually allowed to leave the airport after signing paperwork in Arabic. However, her ordeal is far from over. Currently, Elizabeth faces months of uncertainty in Dubai as she awaits a gruelling legal process in addition to the two months she has already spent in the country. She was ordered by a court to pay a fine of 10,000 Arab Emirates Dirham (approximately £2,197), but even after paying, Dubai officials appealed the court's decision, prolonging her stay.
Appeals in Dubai courts are automatically accepted, and this tactic has been criticised by Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling, who argues that it allows Dubai government officials to exploit tourists. Elizabeth's mother has written a heartfelt letter to customs and immigration officials, pleading for her daughter's return home so she can receive the necessary medical care. Without diplomatic intervention, Elizabeth faces the prospect of months awaiting the outcome of her trial, substantial fines, and the possibility of years in prison, further highlighting the need for reforms in the UAE's legal system.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 18, 2023 02:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).