Excessive reaction - detained 10 days for taking a photo
 

http://www.7days.me/2012/03/tourist-...py-at-embassy/

"A holidaymaker has been slapped with a Dhs500 fine for taking photographs at the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

The Indian tourist was found guilty of taking photos without permission when he appeared at the Supreme Court in the capital yesterday.

A court official told 7DAYS the man had only been in the UAE for two days when he was arrested, near the Embassy premises. He was caught by Embassy security guards and taken to police with his camera. The official said police detained the man for 10 days and released him on bail.

During court hearings the Indian man admitted to taking the pictures of the US Embassy but stressed to the judge that he was not aware that taking photos without permission was prohibited.

He told the court he was merely visiting the UAE and wanted to take holiday snaps.

The court convicted him of illegally taking pictures of the Embassy and also ordered that the pictures should be confiscated. Last year two Bangladeshis were fined for taking photos in a prohibited area at the Yas Marina motorsport racing circuit. They given fines of Dhs1,000 and Dhs500.
"

Detained for 10 days for taking a photo? That's ridiculous. Surely he should be told to stop and delete the photo, not be imprisoned for a stupid error?

Re: Excessive reaction - detained 10 days for taking a photo
 

Yeah, but it was with this:

Attachment 105804

Re: Excessive reaction - detained 10 days for taking a photo
 

Have we reached the quota yet of here is a news report of something horrible that happened in the Middle East?

Re: Excessive reaction - detained 10 days for taking a photo
 

Sorry, but I don't think that's horrible (assuming that he was deliberately taking photos of the embassy, as opposed to merely having a bit of it in the background while his wife and kids stared glumly at the camera). Anybody who goes to a foreign country (or even within their own) and starts taking pictures of embassies is pretty damned stupid--just as well he wasn't somewhere else in the middle east.

Re: Excessive reaction - detained 10 days for taking a photo
 

The horrible was pertaining to the 10 days in jail rather than the rules about taking pictures of the embassy.

Re: Excessive reaction - detained 10 days for taking a photo
 

There was probably a fair bit of background checking going on in those ten days.

There are pretty big signs around the AUH Diplo Area saying no cameras... the US Embassy is opposite the Indian one and next to KSA one

Re: Excessive reaction - detained 10 days for taking a photo
 

I seem to have bizarrely ended up defending the point I was originally attacking..

anyhow suffice to say my position now is he should and all his family received 40 months hard labour and possibly a lifetime ban from all Nikon products

Re: Excessive reaction - detained 10 days for taking a photo
 

when handed down the sentence of hard labour by the UAE judge the Indian thought to himself...what the f*** do you think me and my countrymen have been doing for the past 40 years

Re: Excessive reaction - detained 10 days for taking a photo
 

Why anyone would want to take a picture of the US Embassy anyway I don't know - unless they're interested in buildings in the shape of door-stops?

Re: Excessive reaction - detained 10 days for taking a photo
 

That's what I assumed. "Think I'll go to a Gulf country and take some pictures of some embassies; if I get caught, I expect they'll just ask me nicely to delete the pictures, shouldn't get nastier than that." :rolleyes:

Re: Excessive reaction - detained 10 days for taking a photo
 

A bit stupid of him really, he should have known better - they are just as paranoid about taking pictures of such places in his home country.

Re: Excessive reaction - detained 10 days for taking a photo
 

Nothing surprises me............. outside that candy store (opposite Dubai Mall Aquarium) there's a sign saying photography is banned....... :huh:

Re: Excessive reaction - detained 10 days for taking a photo
 

It is a bit dim taking pictures where there are clear signs....

(oops)

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/...0/IMG_0652.jpg

Re: Excessive reaction - detained 10 days for taking a photo
 

Polaroid-paranoia...easy for you to say

Re: Excessive reaction - detained 10 days for taking a photo
 

Theres a quota system?:eek:, it'd have to be some bloody big number or we would surpass the quota in a day; well ok 3 days.