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55-year-old Laleh Shahravesh faces 2 years in Dubai Jail and could be fined with £50,000 for calling her ex-husband an “Idiot” on a Facebook post that was made 2 years ago, she also called his new wife a “horse”
Laleh lives with her 14-year-old daughter Paris in Richmond, London. She was arrested in UAE last month with Paris as she was in the country to attend the funeral of her ex-partner.
The 55-year-old mother was arrested for 2 comments that she made on Facebook in 2016 after she found out that her ex-husband has married again.
Laleh was in Britain when she made the comments about the couple, but her ex-husband and his new wife were both living in Dubai, her husband died of a heart attack on March 3.
In the cybercrime laws of Dubai, the government can still see the old posts made by a person before they visit the country which allows them to fine or jail a person for years and fine them.
55-year-old Laleh Shahravesh was arrested under the strict cybercrime laws of Dubai, the new wife of her ex-husband reported her post to the police.
When Laleh and Paris were entering UAE for her ex-husband’s funeral, she was arrested and her passport was confiscated by immigration officials.
Her daughter, 14-year-old Paris was allowed to return to the UK.
Laleh, a single mother, has been told that she could be face up to 2 years in prison and a £50,000 fine.
In the post that was made by Sharavesh, she called her ex-husband an “Idiot” and his new wife a “Horse” after her ex got remarried 6 months after their divorce. Their marriage lasted for 18 years.
During an interview about the incident, Sharavesh said, “I am terrified. I can’t sleep or eat. I have gone down two dress sizes because of the stress. And my daughter cries herself to sleep every night. We are so close, especially since her father left us and we only have each other. It breaks my heart to be kept apart from her.”
Laleh said that she made the post while she was living in Britain and 2 years later she found out that her post was complained to authorities in Dubai by al Hammadi, the new wife of her ex-husband.
In Dubai, social media posts can be used in a prosecution.
CEO of a Human Rights Organization, Radha Stirling, is representing 55-year-old Laleh Shahravesh. The organization is based in Dubai.
Radha said, “I have spoken with Laleh, her mother, sisters and daughter Paris. Their experience is heartbreaking. Not only has Paris lost her father, but in going to visit him to say her final goodbye, she wound up in a frightening Middle Eastern police station, and is now without her mother.”
Radha added, “When the UAE introduced Cybercrime laws, it rendered almost every visitor to the country a criminal. Visitors to Dubai are rightfully unaware that they could be jailed for a Facebook or Twitter post made from outside the jurisdiction of the UAE, and made years ago.”