Passenger Detained in Dubai Over an in-Flight Glass of Wine?
Jackie Reddy August 13, 2018
Dr. Ellie Holman, a Swedish national based in England, has spoken out regarding the circumstances that saw herself and her daughter incarcerated in a Dubai detention center last month. While she has been released on bail and her child has been permitted to leave the country, her case is unresolved.
A woman who was placed in a Dubai detention center along with her four-year-old daughter has spoken to MailOnline about the circumstances that led to her incarceration.
On July 13th, Dr. Ellie Holman, a dentist, boarded an Emirates flight from London to Dubai with her child. Upon landing, she was informed by immigration staff that her visa was invalid and that she would need to purchase a return flight back to the UK.
Dr. Holman contested the official’s stance and reportedly begged him to let her apply for a new visa while at the airport.
During the course of her interview, Dr. Holman said she was asked if she had had a drink. “I told him I had a glass of wine on the flight. It was given to me free by Emirates Airlines staff,” she was quoted by the outlet as saying.
She was then informed that the possession of alcohol is a crime in the United Arab Emirates. As the situation between Dr. Holman – a Swedish national who lives in England – and the staff member escalated, she began to film the encounter on her phone.
At this point, she and her daughter were surrounded by police and informed that filming airport staff was also a crime.
The pair were taken to an airport cell, which she described as “’baking hot and foul smelling”. She further described their ordeal, saying, “My little girl had to go to the toilet on the cell floor. I have never heard her cry in the same way as she did in that cell.”
They were detained for three days, had their passports confiscated and Dr. Holman was forced to provide a blood sample for alcohol testing.
She was eventually bailed, but her partner Gary – who had been concerned at Dr. Holman’s lack of communication after her scheduled time of arrival – flew to Dubai. While he was able to return to England with their daughter, Dr. Holman must reportedly remain in the Gulf nation for her case to be settled, a process that could take up
[Photo: Shutterstock]
Even in the US, where video/photo taking is legal in general, it isn't allowed in customs/immigration halls. She was just asking for trouble.
Even Newsweek made a story about this lady being detained "because of a glass of wine". Such nonsense.
Do not whip out your phone like like every idiot does in the USA and you will not be arrested.
This is such a nonstory, and the glass of wine thing is just a canard that the NGO that was helping her stuck to. Firstly as a Swede or a UK national, she would not even need a visa to enter the UAE. So it turns out that HER PASSPORT WAS EXPIRED, at which point it turns out that she produced AN IRANIAN PASSPORT, which of course needed a visa. Meanwhile she got angry and started filming the whole thing (an act illegal in many places in the world, especially when dealing with government officials). What is the lesson from this? Make sure you have a VALID PASSPORT when traveling, don't get angry/violent with border officials, and don't mysteriously have an Iranian passport as your backup.
have you read the subsequent statements it was not due to a glass of wine.