Mother detained in Dubai for drinking wine on flight
A MOTHER was detained in Dubai for three days with her four-year-old daughter after a drinking a complimentary glass of wine on a flight from London, it is claimed.
Swedish dentist Ellie Holman, who lives in Sevenoaks, Kent with her English partner Gary and their three children, was initially denied water and made to clean toilets while in custody, say human rights group Detained in Dubai.
The 44-year-old was arrested on July 13 after having one glass of wine on her eight-hour Emirates Airline flight to Dubai from London, the group said.
She was taken into custody after an immigration official questioned her about her visa and asked if she had consumed alcohol – illegal without an alcohol licence.
Ms Holman and her daughter Bibi were initially denied food, water and access to a toilet when they were held in a cell together for three days, the group claims.
She now faces being detained in Dubai for up to a year while awaiting a court hearing.
After landing she was questioned by an immigration official, who said her visa was invalid and she must return to London immediately, the group said. Ms Holman claims he was “dismissive and rude” when she asked if she could buy another visa, and was then questioned about her alcohol consumption – which she admitted.
She filmed him on her phone as evidence of his behaviour before learning this was an offence, and that it was illegal to drink alcohol.
The pair were taken into custody with phones and passports confiscated before Ms Holman was asked to give a blood sample to test for alcohol consumption.
It a statement from the group, Ms Holman claims the guards tried to rip out her hair extensions and described the prison as hot and “foul smelling”.
Radha Stirling, chief executive of Detained In Dubai, said: “The UAE maintains a deliberately misleading facade that alcohol consumption is perfectly legal for visitors.
“Tourists cannot be blamed for believing that the Emirates are tolerant of Western drinking habits, but this is far from reality.
“It is wholly illegal for any tourist to have any level of alcohol in their blood, even if consumed in flight and provided by Dubai’s own airline.”
Ms Stirling called on the Foreign Office to do more to “protect” British nationals, and claimed airlines were “complicit”.