Emirates, the official airline of the United Arab Emirates, offers complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to passengers throughout their flights. It was the acceptance of this offer that got Ellie Holman, a Swedish citizen from Great Britain, arrested when she stepped off the plane and set foot in the Dubai International Airport, Forbes reports.
While going through airport security with her four-year-old daughter, Holman was detained by an immigration officer who demanded to know if she had consumed alcohol. She admitted that she had consumed one glass of complimentary wine on their flight, and was immediately subjected to a blood alcohol test, which showed that her blood alcohol levels were 0.04. Holman and her daughter were then allegedly arrested and jailed in a Dubai prison for three days, and Holman was allegedly not allowed food, water, or a toilet during her incarceration, The Independent reports.
I doubt this lady, dentist, will visit Dubai anytime soon again. She was held in jail with 4 yr old child, 4 having glass of wine on plane -Dubai Gov officials denied alcohol played any part in arrest. Gave no comment on blood test & alcohol reading. pic.twitter.com/qHl9o4oiIH
— Blanche V. Mercaldi (@tammytabby) August 12, 2018
When Holman's husband was unable to get in contact with her, he became and began searching for her and their daughter. It was more than a day before he was able to locate them. Although the United Arab Emirates did allow their daughter to be released into her father's custody and taken home to Britain, Holman was required to remain in the United Arab Emirates for a month while she was tried for her crimes — which the Office of the Attorney General of Dubai officially declared were "profanity and photographing a government official." Her alleged crime of being under the influence in public was not mentioned.
Holman ultimately spent more than $40,000 on legal representation for her case before her eventual release. She was represented by Detained in Dubai, a legal firm that represents “people who have become victims of injustice in the United Arab Emirates," including those who are charged with alcohol-related offenses.
After the case gained international notoriety and became widely scrutinized, the prosecution chose to drop all charges against Holman and deported her back to Great Britain — but the concern over the United Arab Emirates extreme rules regarding the consumption of alcohol remains.
To help prevent further issues like this, the British government has released the following advisory: “Liquor licenses are not available to non-residents, but it is possible for tourists and visitors to buy and drink alcohol in licensed venues, such as hotels, restaurants and clubs. However, you should be aware that it is a punishable [offense] under UAE law to drink or be under the influence of alcohol in public. British nationals have been arrested and charged under this law, often in cases where they have come to the attention of the police for a related [offense] or matter, such as disorderly or offensive behavior. Passengers in transit through the UAE under the influence of alcohol may also be arrested.”
Although Holman's case has been closed, United Arab Emirates and Emirates airlines are now under close scrutiny for their conflicting practices regarding alcohol consumption, and it is likely that the airlines business will suffer in the future until they can ensure their passengers' safety.
