Northern Ireland Man Detained in UAE Faces Christmas Away from Home Due to Court Date Delay

A tourist from Northern Ireland, currently held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following a critical Google review, has expressed his “devastated” feelings regarding a court hearing scheduled for February, which indicates he will probably not be home for Christmas. Craig Ballentine, a resident of Cookstown, County Tyrone, was apprehended at Abu Dhabi airport in October. His arrest stemmed from critical remarks he had published online concerning his previous employer in Dubai. Mr. Ballentine stated that he has paid a fine and received a one-month prohibition from social media use. However, he has since been informed of a court appeal related to his situation. Consequently, he anticipates spending Christmas in the UAE, unless a resolution is reached beforehand. “I think anyone would be quite devastated,” he communicated to BBC News NI, further stating his shock upon learning on Monday that the court hearing had been postponed. He received this information while en route to a police station to have his travel restrictions removed. “While I was in the middle of the transit going there, I got the email that the court was not happy and they wanted to appeal again.” He continued: “I called friends and family and couldn’t stop crying, because you’re holding on to those emotions, you’re just trying to focus on ‘let’s get out of here’ and that was the priority yesterday – to get the travel ban lifted and just get out as soon as possible.” He added, “The next flight was 2am and that was the main goal – and then everything collapsed.” Mr. Ballentine indicated his efforts to have the court date “brought back much, much earlier.” Mr. Ballentine mentioned his readiness for the prospect of celebrating Christmas within the UAE. “The plan in my head has already been made that I’ll not be home,” he stated. “I don’t want to be too optimistic, I have to be quite realistic.” He also remarked, “It is trying to get the politicians to push even more, I know they are trying their best, but even an extra push.” During 2023, Mr. Ballentine secured employment at a dog grooming establishment located in Dubai. Following nearly six months of work, he required leave due to illness and presented his employer with a doctor’s certificate to substantiate his medical condition. However, upon his absence from work, he was officially reported as “absconded” to the UAE authorities, which consequently prevented him from departing the country. Subsequently, Mr. Ballentine successfully had the travel prohibition rescinded and returned to Northern Ireland, a process that spanned two months and incurred expenses amounting to thousands of pounds. While back in Northern Ireland, he composed an online review for the dog grooming salon, detailing the difficulties his previous employer had purportedly created for him. He informed BBC News NI that his Google submission “explained the ordeal that I went through.” In late October, Mr. Ballentine traveled back to the UAE for a brief vacation, whereupon he was promptly arrested on charges of alleged slander. He was subsequently moved from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, where he currently awaits the resolution of his legal matter. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.