An Irishman was arrested in Dubai for publishing a negative review of a dog beauty salon on the Internet (2 photos)

Man faces up to two years in jail.





A 33-year-old Northern Irish man faces up to two years in jail in Dubai for “defamation” after leaving a negative review of a dog grooming business online.

Craig Ballentine was arrested three weeks ago while visiting friends in Abu Dhabi. He was then flown to Dubai to face charges under the UAE’s strict cybercrime laws, which ban any form of online criticism.

According to the human rights organization Detained in Dubai, which helps expatriates, Ballentine complained about his former employer. Last year, the man worked in Dubai for almost six months in a dog grooming salon.

However, at some point, the man needed leave due to illness. Ballentine was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a disease accompanied by severe pain and fatigue. He provided the employer with the relevant certificates and asked for leave.



The company claimed that he was “hiding from the authorities” and created a “legal nightmare” for the man. Due to the actions of the employer, Ballentine could not get a new job or even leave the country. It took him two months and thousands of pounds to get home.

When he finally arrived in Northern Ireland, Ballentine left a negative review on Google about the dog grooming salon and his former boss, listing all the problems she had caused him.

However, when the man returned to the UAE for a holiday a few months later, he was arrested.

Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, called the charges against Ballentine “outrageous”, saying his post did not contain any offensive content. “Craig has deleted the post and apologised, but he still faces jail,” she said.