52 year old Charles Wimberly faced years in prison after being charged with trafficking his own prescription medicine. Radha Stirling confirms the case against him has been dropped after the group, Detained in Dubai, lobbied for his release.
'So Helpless': Black Navy Veteran In Need of Surgery Trapped In Dubai for Weeks After Arrest for Traveling with His Prescription Pain Medicine, Faces Years In Prison
Charles Wimberly was minutes away from boarding a flight in Dubai back to the United States last month when he was arrested for drug trafficking for
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“I was texting Charles Monday morning while he was at the Dubai courts when authorities broke the news that he would be allowed to leave”, confirmed overjoyed Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai who has been helping Mr Wimberly. “Charles and his family are greatly relieved that he will be allowed to fly home and that he will make it back in time for the election and for his surgery.
“It has been an extremely traumatic time for all. Facing time in a Middle Eastern prison is nothing short of a nightmare. With Charles’ preexisting medical requirements, chronic pain and PTSD, any time in prison could have been life threatening.
“I thank Rep. Mike Collins for his concern, the media for their important support, those who rallied behind him on social media, including fellow Veteran Joseph Lopez and his family who are still re-adjusting after their Dubai ordeal.
Last week, Mr Wimberly confessed,“My PTSD is at a very high level right now... I’m so tired of crying... I can’t stop shaking. My daughter is so upset… I feel like I’ve let everyone down. “I’m hurting because I served my country, and I just want to go home.”
Ms Stirling added, “Charles is expected to fly out from Dubai at the first opportunity and is utterly relieved that his ordeal is finally over”.
“However, this is not an isolated incident. Numerous Americans are being arrested, prosecuted and jailed, even where there is no evidence of any crime. A mere allegation is sufficient evidence to lock someone up. The UAE judiciary is noted by the English High Court for unfair trials, discrimination, human rights abuses and torture. It’s not about 'knowing the law' as Candace Owens argued in her podcast, it’s about deep rooted issues within the justice system. When Americans can be locked up on the basis of an allegation, locked up by influential locals who seek to extort them, locked up over a social media post they made in the United States years before travelling, or residual hashish in their bloodstream from up to two months before travel, a glass of wine provided onboard a flight, or complaining about a service to a customer service operator, we can not blame the victim.
“The UAE is not safe from these kinds of abuses and we will continue to see tourists facing human rights abuses in the country. Social media influencers and celebrities portray the destination as a safe party place but crime statistics are censored and victims of the justice system are dismissed.”
