New York student, 21, is jailed for A YEAR in Dubai after tapping airport security officer on the arm during strip search that left her half-naked as they checked her medical waist binder

Daily Mail ^

[algore]

A New York business arts student has been jailed for a year in Dubai after she tapped an airport security officer on the arm during a strip search as they checked her medical waist binder and left her half-naked.

Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos, 21, who attends Lehman College in the Big Apple was heading to New York from Istanbul with a friend when they were detained during a ten-hour layover at Dubai International Airport on July 14.

But what she thought would be a short stop in the UAE has turned into a months-long nightmare, after airport security was alerted to a brace De Los Santos was wearing with underwiring on it. She told airport officials she had recently had surgery and was mandated to wear the surgical brace around the clock.

She was carted off to a private room and instructed to remove the brace, leaving her semi-naked and feeling 'violated'. She was eventually cleared to go, but since she was unable to get the brace back on herself, she 'gently' touched one of the female customs officer's arm to get her friend to help her.

The female officers accused De Los Santos of 'assaulting and insulting' them, which Santos denied. She was forbidden to travel home, and this week was sentenced to a year behind bars despite paying a AED 10,000 ($2,722) fine.

Judges had ordered De Los Santos to pay the fine on August 24, but instead of being allowed on her way, customs officials appealed the sentence.

She has now undergone a months-long ordeal and had to fork out $50,000 to afford accommodation in the expensive nation along with lawyers costs.

[roving]

Do not go anywhere in the Middle East.

[roving]

There is more to the story. This cannot be it

There's always at least one of these in each post.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“...recently had surgery and was mandated to wear the surgical brace around the clock.”

What the hell was she doing traveling internationally after surgery and wearing a special brace she cannot take off? That’s not very bright.

[dayglored]

> I saw her photo. Not Guilty.

VERY not guilty.

Note, the guy is her now-deceased father.

[Drew68]

There's always at least one of these in each post.

Probably because many of us have been to the Middle East many times without any trouble. Of course we're going to wonder if there's more to the story (and there usually is).

[Hambone 1934]

Hey there, thats a challenge....

[entropy12]

Definitely, I am never going to visit any dictatorships. Ther are plenty of other countries to visit. Largest democracy in the world, India, has a respectable judiciary system, and one of the tastiest cuisines in the world.

[Allegra]

I’ve been to Dubai several times and never had a problem. However,no Westerner should ever mistake Dubai for Amsterdam or San Francisco.

Yes, keeping a low profile and not causing undue attention to yourself is probably the best practice in Dubai. I’ve been there several times as well and never had a problem.

I feel like there’s more to this story. I do feel for the woman, though. That has to really suck.

[MinorityRepublican]

Islam has almost progressed into the 8th century now and that’s got a lot of muslims in a rage.

That's what people need to realize with MBS. He's not going to bring Saudi Arabia into the 21st Century. But if he's bringing the country forward one hundred years, that's progress.

FWIW, we've regressed 50 years since we've elected Obama. Racism is legal again. But that's another subject for a different thread.

[wardaddy]

Don’t Eff around in Islamic nations

I thought libs were all in on cultural respect long as it wasn’t white and Jesus respecting

[wardaddy]

I agree

More than just a “tap”

And I’ve been thru 100s of POE

[TigersEye]

One century forward, two centuries back. Islam is doomed to be what it has always been.

Mohammad was a murderer, a war lord, a pedophile and preached conversion by the sword. He claimed to be the one true prophet of Allah and Islam is based on that and that alone.

Any attempt at reform will always be met with the condemnation of blasphemy against the prophet as none of his evil actions can be called into question. Those who oppose reform will always hold the rhetorical and scriptural upper hand.

But you just keep believing the warm and fuzzy if that helps you sleep at night. :)

[wardaddy]

After reading non western sources

Seems excessive yes

She did touch the female inspector

And berated her

Still a year even after she paid fine and judge released her to go home.

Political

[lee martell]

Most American fathers would never pose like that, with a busty teenage girl in short shorts sitting on his lap, with his hand around her waist.

[MinorityRepublican]

Either Islam is going to evolve or it’ll cease to exist. My prediction is on the former rather than the latter.

[wardaddy]

I think she’d recently had lipo or tummy tuck

Just guessing

[Angelino97]

There is more to the story. This cannot be it. Just touching someone’s arm won’t land you in jail for a year, even in Dubai.

There is...

The female officers accused De Los Santos of 'assaulting and insulting' them, which Santos denied.

Sounds like an Angry Black Woman got all Strong and Proud and Loud in the wrong country.

[Angelino97]

Age 21? Where does she get the money/

Seems lots of young women travel the world fulltime. Influencers and travel bloggers, they call themselves.

But I've also read there are many men who'll pay young women to wine and dine and travel with them. The chumps are apparently lining up.

Kinda like the chumps that pay women to strip their clothes on Only Fans.

[punchamullah]

I spent one night in jail in Dubai back in 1978. Wasn’t so bad; bit of a lark, actually.

[Angelino97]

You don’t understand islam. According to mohamed himself no “reform” of it is possible nor is it needed. It’s perfect just the way it is.

That's actually true of Christianity. God doesn't change.