A 42-year-old man has spent the last three weeks imprisoned a police station in Dubai after posting a link on his Facebook page to a fundraising campaign run by a US charity.
Scott Richards, an economic development adviser from Adelaide who holds both British and Australian citizenship, was arrested on 28 July and charged with fundraising without permission after 22 days in custody at Al Murraqabat Police Station.
The post he shared was a link to a campaign by the Zwan Family Charity to raise funds for tarpaulins, blankets, warm clothes and sleeping bags for the inhabitants of a refugee camp in Afghanistan.
Under laws introduced in 2015 it
is illegal to advertise fundraising campaigns in Dubai without written
approval from the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department.
Mr Richards’ mother, Penelope Haberfield, told the BBC that his wife is under extreme stress: "She can only take the clothes to him once a week. She takes him money so that he can buy water and extra food.
"She's worried for him, she's worried for herself because if she runs out of money, will she have to leave the country? She's frightened for her children."
Radha Stirling from the group Detained in Dubai told Australian broadcaster ABC: "There are constantly expats falling foul of the law (in the United Arab Emirates) and also being victims of other people because it's so easy in the UAE for an individual to take out a police complaint against someone.
"There are so many laws, it's so different, yet so many expats, but UAE doesn't make any effort to inform expats.
"In a case like this where it's so obviously unjust we are hoping for diplomatic intervention which the Australian Government has done in the past.”
A spokeswoman for the charity said: "Zwan Family Charity has been blessed with supporters and donors all over the world and we urge each of them to please learn the charity laws of your government before you publicly support us."
Mr Richards’ mother, Penelope Haberfield, told the BBC that his wife is under extreme stress: "She can only take the clothes to him once a week. She takes him money so that he can buy water and extra food.
"She's worried for him, she's worried for herself because if she runs out of money, will she have to leave the country? She's frightened for her children."
Radha Stirling from the group Detained in Dubai told Australian broadcaster ABC: "There are constantly expats falling foul of the law (in the United Arab Emirates) and also being victims of other people because it's so easy in the UAE for an individual to take out a police complaint against someone.
"There are so many laws, it's so different, yet so many expats, but UAE doesn't make any effort to inform expats.
"In a case like this where it's so obviously unjust we are hoping for diplomatic intervention which the Australian Government has done in the past.”
A spokeswoman for the charity said: "Zwan Family Charity has been blessed with supporters and donors all over the world and we urge each of them to please learn the charity laws of your government before you publicly support us."
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