Dubai, November 9: Can a negative Google review land you in jail? For Craig Ballentine, a 33-year-old from the UK, the answer could seem to be yes. Ballentine is facing up to two years in a Dubai prison after posting a critical review of a dog grooming business where he had worked. The trouble started when he was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and had to take time off work, providing his employer with a doctor’s note. Despite this, he was wrongfully terminated. In retaliation for his dismissal, Ballentine posted a review of the business on Google. While on holiday in Abu Dhabi, he was arrested under Dubai’s strict cybercrime laws and is now facing slander charges.

According to a Daily Star report, Craig Ballentine’s troubles began after he took a medical leave from his job at a canine grooming salon in Dubai, where he had worked for nearly six months. Diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition, Ballentine provided his employer with a doctor’s note, but he claims he was labelled “absconded” and later terminated.  Following his dismissal, he posted a Google review criticising the company and his former boss. UK Shocker: Malaysian Teen Attacks Schoolmates With Claw Hammers He Collected for ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ While They Slept in Devon, Sentenced to Life.

According to a report from The Mirror, after his employer labelled him “absconded”, a travel ban was imposed on him, preventing him from leaving the country until it was lifted after months of legal battles. The situation escalated when Ballentine, who had travelled to Abu Dhabi for a holiday, was arrested and charged with slander under the UAE’s harsh cybercrime laws. His legal team claims the charges were filed in retaliation for the negative review. UK Shocker: Virginia McCullough Kills Parents, Lives Alongside Their Bodies For 4 Years in Essex; Jailed for Life.

Radha Stirling, the CEO of Detained in Dubai, stated that the law allows for such complaints to be made even without evidence of the offence, and the authorities often side with complainants, resulting in wrongful detentions. Despite deleting the review and apologising, Ballentine still faces a potential two-year prison sentence.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 09, 2024 01:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).