45 year old teacher, Sandra de Zori, is facing a Dubai nightmare after being charged for insulting an erratic driver who was tailgating her.
Sandra moved to Dubai with her husband two years ago to discover Emirati culture, music, food and traditions. She hoped for an enlightening experience, to immerse herself into society, gain local work experience as a teacher and meet people from all over the world.
But things turned sour as Sandra headed home after an art exhibition one night. When she exited the highway, a big white car with completely dark windows arrived behind her, tailgating her and flashing his lights at her. Sandra slowed down wondering what happened and the car overtook her but it didn’t end. The car slowed down suddenly in front of her. She changed lanes but the car followed her, passed her and drove in front of her again, braking sharply. He did the same thing three times, terrifying Sandra. Eventually, he parted ways and Sandra drove back to her community, shaken up and frightened. She pulled over and called emergency services who told her to go to the police station and file a report.
Sandra recuperated at home for the evening, recovering from the ordeal to then find out from the rental car company the next day, she had received a fine for “swerving”. Sandra attended Al Barsha police station where she made a full statement about her experience but was promptly told that there was already a case filed against her by the other driver. He had accused her of insulting him and raising her middle finger which simply wasn’t true. “It is automatic procedure in Dubai for anyone who has driven erratically or intimidated another driver to preemptively complain about the victim”, explains Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai who is helping the victim. "The first person to make the complaint is taken more seriously by the police and their complaint, albeit with zero evidence, is prosecuted. Sandra raised both hands in the air as he slowed in front of her but never made a rude gesture or insulted the driver. I have seen this kind of behaviour again and again over the past almost two decades. Usually, the erratic driver is deliberately intimidating the other driver knowing they will call the police. When they do, there will be an ‘insult’ charge already filed against them and they will use it to extort their victim.
“They know how to work the system. They know police will side with the first person to make the complaint and they know they can wield the power of the justice system to force the victim to pay them to drop the case. What’s concerning is that police are fully aware of this extortion tactic but continue to partake in it. The government of Dubai should investigate the police for corruption as the issue is widespread and ongoing. They need to crack down on this abuse of the justice system and protect unknowing expats and tourists from this common extortion.
“Sandra feared for her life as she drove home from an art exhibition. She was completely traumatised and is now potentially facing years in prison.
“She is now on a travel ban and can’t go home to France. She spends her time in her apartment, afraid to go out, afraid to drive and afraid someone else will open a case against her. She feels hopeless”, says Stirling. “Sandra has lost all of her money to local lawyers, she’s lost her job as her visa has been cancelled. She is not sleeping, she’s crying with anxiety, headaches and feeling completely destroyed. She’s gone from a happy go lucky, active and social woman to completely depressed. This is no way to treat guests in the United Arab Emirates”.
