Stuart Quiney (39), a property renovator from Laragh, has been held in Dubai for three months and is set to go before a prosecutor on Wednesday. He has been advised that he could face several years in prison under strict laws that prohibit rude, offensive or threatening text messages, even if expressed sarcastically, jokingly between close friends or loved ones.
The emojis he is being held over were send from Ireland to an acquaintance he says took his possessions without permission.
Mr Quiney is currently staying with a friend while on a travel ban, and is relying on financial support from his family, is said to be suffering sleepless nights, sickness and extreme anxiety.
Radha Stirling, chief executive of campaign group Detained in Dubai, is raising awareness over Stuart’s case. To make the grave situation even worse, his grandmother is currently sick and he is concerned he will never see her again.
“He fears he won’t see his beloved grandmother before she passes and is praying he gets home before Christmas,” said Ms Stirling.
In January 2022, Mr Quiney accompanied his friend to Dubai to help him set up his new life. He was introduced to a resident, who assisted his friend to get an apartment by providing a local ID. Stuart stayed with his friend for two months.
He had intended to return a week later to spend more time with his friend. He left some of his belongings in the apartment. While both he and his friend were away, they say that their personal belongings were removed from the apartment.
Stuart Quiney from Laragh, Co Wicklow. Photo: detainedindubai.com
Mr Quiney hoped he’d be able to recover his things, which included small but sentimental gifts from his late grandmother. He drafted multiple legal letters, but received no reply.
“I don’t really mind the clothes, it’s just those things that were my grandmother’s and a gift from a friend that is very important to me,” he told Ms Stirling.
“I came over in June last year and sent him a few messages, basically saying I wanted my things back or I would go to the police, but I got no reply again.”
After returning to Ireland, he was told his grandmother was suffering dementia and being moved into a home.
Ms Stirling added: “It hit him very hard. She is his best friend. He dealt with the pain by drinking alcohol, something he only does once or twice a year. In a drunken state, he must have remembered his other grandmother’s gift, reached for his phone and sent some emojis (eg. ninja man and blood drop).”
Mr Quiney told Ms Stirling: “I very rarely drink so this is completely out of character for me. I’ve never been in trouble with the law.”
“He didn’t think anything of it when he booked his next flight to visit his friend. In fact, he did not even remember sending them at the time or afterwards.
“It was a very difficult time.”
When Stuart arrived in Dubai on September 6, he was immediately taken into custody, transported to Al Barsha police station and told he could not leave the country.
“Stuart’s mother has been in touch with the accuser and they have both apologised, but he has said he won’t withdraw the case,” said Ms Stirling.
Stuart and his family are reaching out to Wicklow representatives for help.
“It wasn’t an ideal message, but it was made at a very distressing time in Stuart’s life,” said Ms Stirling.
“He has apologised and regrets the message.
“He’s suffered extreme stress, anxiety and health issues from being forced to stay in Dubai for the past three months while anticipating prison. The UAE needs an expeditious legal process for tourists who should be deported or banned from re-entering at worst.”
Co Tyrone man Craig Ballentine is also facing jail in Dubai over a negative review he posted online relating to a dog grooming centre. He was detained when he arrived in Abu Dhabi in October to visit and was transported to Dubai to face charges of “slander” under the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s cybercrime laws.
Previously, Laleh Sharahvesh was arrested over a five-year-old Facebook post made from England.
Ms Stirling added: “The UAE’s Cybercrime laws are highly dangerous to tourists. They are unclear, subjective, arbitrarily enforced and the punishments can be severe.”
She further advised: “It’s important for repeat visitors to Dubai to obtain a police check in advance of travel. Checking prior to travel prevents a significant number of arrests and would have prevented the gruelling nightmares that both Stuart Quiney and Craig Ballentine are experiencing now.”
