A Russian tourist who arrived in the UAE in the autumn has not been able to return to his homeland for 3 months. The man is awaiting trial for a serious, by local standards, offense. He faces up to 5 years in prison.
A traveler from Moscow, Artem Ershov, arrived in Dubai on vacation in early November with a friend. One day, the Russians went for a walk on the embankment not far from the Historical Museum (Etihad Museum), along the way taking photos and videos of the surroundings. The Fpso Frade tanker, which was far away in the port, also got into the frame.
On the same night, law enforcement officers and employees of the Department of Criminal Investigations came to the tourists’ room, accompanied by hotel workers. Citizens of the Russian Federation were taken without explanation to the police station, where they stayed for about 17 hours, telling who they were and where they came from. According to Artem Yershov, their phones were confiscated and they were not given the opportunity to contact the embassy or a lawyer.
In the evening, the detainees were released, but Yershov’s smartphone was not returned. According to the laws of the UAE, in the country it is forbidden to take photos or videos of other people, government buildings and military installations, one of which was in the frame.
“Some local port officer noticed us on cameras and told us where to go. They thought we were awesome spies there. Now I already know what they specifically accuse me of,” said Artem Ershov.
The Russian nevertheless got to the Russian embassy, but there he was offered only escort in court and clarification of the circumstances in the police. Legal advice and the provision of a lawyer are not included in the powers of diplomats.
The case was brought to court only at the beginning of 2022. The meeting was supposed to take place on January 31, but it had to be postponed until the end of February due to the illness of the judge. For the offense, tourists face imprisonment for up to 5 years or a hefty fine and a ban on entry into the country.