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  • TUESDAY JANUARY 29 2008 2:00 PM

Hello From the Dubai Tourism Board!

Submitted by Zoetica

Edited by Zoetica

Tags: Dubai, middle east, tourism, travesty

Time for some Serious Business, comrades. Diz -- my friend, and partner of Coilhouse co-creator Mil Von [ Mother of London] -- is being held on false charges in Dubai.


Diz and Mil

For those not in the know, Dubai is located in the Middle East and claims to be a sort of tourist oasis, safe and free from unrest. The circumstances surrounding the arrest of Diz have proven the direct opposite. He was stopped Saturday morning on pure suspicion because of his long hair and Asian appearance -- turns out, in addition to all its supposed merits, Dubai happens to be exceptionally racist and conservative.

From Mil's journal:


They found melatonin on him, which he bought over the counter in the US. Legally, you can even buy it over the counter in Dubai. They arrested him, anyway.

He was strip searched, forced to do a urine test and thrown in jail. In their search they dug into the bottom of his bag and came up with a few fragments of dirt, which they allege is hashish, a total and utter fabrication.

They also claimed that the melatonin was actually drugs, which was clearly a lie. The sentence if convicted is a blanket four years, with a minimum of six months in prison in one of Dubai's squalid, third world facilities.

After detaining him for three days, the melatonin was determined to be just that, and his urine was clear. Now they've asked for a seven day extension to test the dirt, and we trust that he will be on his way home after that.



Did you catch that -- they dug up actual DIRT and are claiming it's hashish. Now that's what I call hospitality.

Now it's a matter of time. The waiting's been incredibly hard on everyone involved, there have been calls to embassies, tears and sleepless nights. The bottom line here is that this can happen to anyone, and this is not me being melodramatic. Dubai is misrepresenting itself entirely -- it's not safe, in fact it's pretty fucking hostile. Until things change you should stay as far away from it as you can, really, and more importantly Diz' story needs to get out there. Repost this, spread the word. And if you've any doubts, here is a little light reading on the topic of Dubai's treatment of foreigners.

-Woman hospitalized in Dubai, given painkillers, arrested at airport for it.

-Briton held in Dubai for painkillers in system.

-Canadian anti-drug agent arrested for...drugs.

-15-year-old tourist accused of homosexual acts after being gang raped.

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videoeye

videoeye

Los Angeles, CA
July 2005

JAN 31, 2008 04:05 PM

guys, this argument is going nowhere.

Talked with Mildred and she is getting a press release to spread for the media.
If you really want to help, please forward this upcoming PR to any mainstream media possible.

Just waiting for it.

PS: The Dubai Open is right now... you get the point?.

Zoetica

Zoetica

NEWSWIRE

Portola Valley, CA

JAN 31, 2008 04:56 PM

videoeye said:
guys, this argument is going nowhere.

Talked with Mildred and she is getting a press release to spread for the media.
If you really want to help, please forward this upcoming PR to any mainstream media possible.

Just waiting for it.

PS: The Dubai Open is right now... you get the point?.



Exactly. Please stop it, peeps - this is case where urgent help is needed for a friend and others in his position.

Again, if you have any information about other such cases, or thoughts on how to help, please send word to dubaicampaign@gmail.com

videoeye

videoeye

Los Angeles, CA
July 2005

FEB 01, 2008 06:50 AM

There is a new website if you guys want to help.
Show your support signing this petition to the Dubai government.

More updates on Mildred's journal.

Zoetica

Zoetica

NEWSWIRE

Portola Valley, CA

FEB 01, 2008 09:17 AM

http://thetruthaboutdubai.com/ -- the website that has now been set up to bring light to Diz's case and other such cases. Please take a moment to read it.

captainkidd

captainkidd

USA
April 2007

FEB 01, 2008 10:55 AM

This is why middle eastern governments are insane. No women's rights, religious law, monarchies, dictatorships, etc. etc. There is quite a bit of racism too. Ask some Saudis you know what they think of Indian workers- you might be surprised by some of the responses. I wish I could be alive in the next 100-200 years when the oil runs out and watch the corrupt governments eat dust. Sadly, the only ones to suffer will probably be the general populace.

Harleen

Harleen

United Kingdom
June 2005

FEB 01, 2008 11:00 AM

captainkidd said:
There is quite a bit of racism too. Ask some *insert* you know what they think of *ethnic minority* workers- you might be surprised by some of the responses. I wish I could be alive in the next 100-200 years when the oil runs out and watch the corrupt governments eat dust. Sadly, the only ones to suffer will probably be the general populace.



You could be talking about most countries there, to be fair. Britain, America... whoever.

michael9000000

michael9000000

New York, NY
July 2007

FEB 01, 2008 11:13 AM

I really hope your friend comes home safely, and as soon as possible.

I've been to Dubai about a half dozen times. I found it to be a peculiar mix of western convenience (modern shopping malls, American style fast food, Ikea furniture stores, etc), and middle eastern culture (women treated as second hand citizens, alcohol strictly illegal except in port areas and international hotels, etc). I can't say that I hated the place, but I never really felt quite at ease. I actually just spent most of my time there shopping for gold, or lounging at the seaman center.

I believe everything you say about the underbelly of that city. That type of savagery really makes my skin crawl.

Again, I hope your friend is safe and on his way home soon.

captainkidd

captainkidd

USA
April 2007

FEB 01, 2008 11:21 AM

Geez I read the report on the slave labor in Dubai. That island should be boycotted if not altogether sunk. You don't have to like every culture, people. I'm tossing them in with other similar cultures like nazis or cannibals.

Harleen

Harleen

United Kingdom
June 2005

FEB 01, 2008 11:29 AM

So you think wiping out Dubai because you don't happen to like the culture or belief system is not, in itself, pretty Hitler-like?

captainkidd

captainkidd

USA
April 2007

FEB 01, 2008 11:31 AM

I don't really think Dubai should be sunk. *sheesh* Think of the environmental damage that would cause. And besides being warlike towards those that don't agree with western culture is part of American culture. Don't be hatin..

BigFilthy

BigFilthy

Fenton, MO
January 2008

FEB 02, 2008 03:23 PM

captainkidd said:
Geez I read the report on the slave labor in Dubai. That island should be boycotted if not altogether sunk. You don't have to like every culture, people. I'm tossing them in with other similar cultures like nazis or cannibals.



The funny thing is, the UAE, including Dubai, are one of the more liberal of the Arabic nations. I've lived in Saudi Arabia, and that place is horrible. Compared to Saudi Arabia, Dubai is a bastion of human rights.

Which isn't saying much. But at least in Dubai, women can get an education.

Look, it's a really shitty situation. But it can happen anywhere. Look at how travelers of Middle Eastern descent are being treated in the US. Seriously.

The only thing I can say is that I feel awful for your friend Zoetica, and I hope everybody can take from this to be as careful as possible when you travel abroad. And not just to the Middle East. Every country is starting to close their borders more and more lately. Just be aware and as careful as possible.

And let's not sink to comparing people to the Nazis.

Darke

Darke

Columbia, MO
June 2005

FEB 02, 2008 03:44 PM

semiretiredpunk said:

FearTheReaper said:
And they manage to have a worse environmental record than the US.



I came here to say something to that effect, but you beat me to it.



Ah yes, they have a terrible environmental record. 11.9 hectares of ecological footprint per person, compared to the US 's measily 9.6...

Oh wait... 11.9 x 4.7m = 55.93 million. 9.6 x 301.1m = 2.9 billion. not to absolve them of being environmentally unfriendly, but I don't think we can really call them worse than the US.

FearTheReaper

FearTheReaper

NEWSWIRE

I'm lost

FEB 07, 2008 10:34 PM

Jesus, Dubai is horribly fucked up.


A father-of-three who was found with a microscopic speck of cannabis stuck to the bottom of one of his shoes has been sentenced to four years in a Dubai prison.

Keith Brown, a council youth development officer, was travelling through the United Arab Emirates on his way back to England when he was stopped as he walked through Dubai's main airport.

A search by customs officials uncovered a speck of cannabis weighing just 0.003g - so small it would be invisible to the naked eye and weighing less than a grain of sugar - on the tread of one of his shoes.



Hopefully your friend makes it out okay.


link

DevilsReject

DevilsReject

Cleveland, OH
February 2007

FEB 07, 2008 10:52 PM

holy crap!

from FTR's link:

One man has even been jailed for possession of three poppy seeds left over from a bread roll he ate at Heathrow Airport. Painkiller codeine is also banned.

edith

edith

France
April 2006

FEB 08, 2008 01:03 AM

yeah, i'm sorry but this stuff is really fucked up.

what the hell does it have to do with the US again? i love how almost every person in this thread had to mention something like this:

but I don't think we can really call them worse than the US.

Look at how travelers of Middle Eastern descent are being treated in the US

being warlike towards those that don't agree with western culture is part of American culture.



get over yourselves, this has nothing to do with america. i see ads over here on TV for travel to dubai, i see deals at the travel agency. this place is trying to get tourists from europe to come shop and spend money. then they arrest them for poppy seeds and pot on the bottom of the shoe???

how is this ok again? oh wait! the us did bad things too! so i guess no american can agree that this is unacceptable! whatever


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