Life Sentence for British Student Draws Criticism for U.A.E • Hacker News Board

Re: Life Sentence for British Student Draws Criticism for U.A.E

#21

Post by Rebelgecko » Wed, Nov 21, 2018, 8:32 PM UTC

S_A_P wrote: post #7

Article is light on details other than to say he was carrying out “legitimate academic research into security policy following the Arab spring”. Let’s say that someone from say China came to the US to stake out airports and study the US’s airport security protocol. I’m not sure the outcome would be much different. Even if this was all totally above board it Seems a bit naive to think this isn’t something that you sho…

It reminds me of the Czech game developers that spent months in jail for photographing a Greek military base they used as inspiration for a game's setting.

That said, there are entire communities in the US of people who set up cameras outside of airports and military bases to record activities. The folks at airports are doing it to photograph planes, and the people at military bases are usually doing it to see if they can provoke any sort of response. Even the TSA says they can't stop you from photographing security checkpoints, although they would prefer it if you didn't. AFAIK none of these people have been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Re: Life Sentence for British Student Draws Criticism for U.A.E

#22

Post by Latteland » Wed, Nov 21, 2018, 8:33 PM UTC

alexis_fr wrote: post #9

CosmicShadow wrote: post #5

I don't know why anyone would visit a country with such insane laws, it's just too dangerous. Sure they seem to have a lot of interesting stuff going on and to see, but a big fat NOPE after you read anything about their rules and how they treat people!

Look at Japan: 23-day police custody period. After that there’s a 99.99% confession rate. Carlos Ghosn, president of Nissan, seems to have just discovered it: He will be interrogated for 12 days. I would never go to such countries.

Japan is not going to torture him, keep him up without letting him sleep are they? They have the rule of law and generally treat people well. You can't seriously compare those countries, can you?

Re: Life Sentence for British Student Draws Criticism for U.A.E

#23

Post by Animats » Wed, Nov 21, 2018, 8:34 PM UTC

dec0dedab0de wrote: post #13

alexis_fr wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Look at Japan: 23-day police custody period. After that there’s a 99.99% confession rate. Carlos Ghosn, president of Nissan, seems to have just discovered it: He will be interrogated for 12 days. I would never go to such countries.

That is the conviction rate, not the confession rate. Which has completely different connotations.

Mark Karpelès, the Mt. Gox guy, was arrested in Japan, interrogated, and he still got off.

Re: Life Sentence for British Student Draws Criticism for U.A.E

#24

Post by mc32 » Wed, Nov 21, 2018, 8:36 PM UTC

dec0dedab0de wrote: post #13

alexis_fr wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Look at Japan: 23-day police custody period. After that there’s a 99.99% confession rate. Carlos Ghosn, president of Nissan, seems to have just discovered it: He will be interrogated for 12 days. I would never go to such countries.

That is the conviction rate, not the confession rate. Which has completely different connotations.

Indeed, the conviction rate has much to do with police picking “open and shut” cases. Which is why there are cases where murders are instead classified as accidents, if itd be hard to prove a case.

Re: Life Sentence for British Student Draws Criticism for U.A.E

#25

Post by 2RTZZSro » Wed, Nov 21, 2018, 8:36 PM UTC

CosmicShadow wrote: post #5

I don't know why anyone would visit a country with such insane laws, it's just too dangerous. Sure they seem to have a lot of interesting stuff going on and to see, but a big fat NOPE after you read anything about their rules and how they treat people!

In the United States of America, all it takes for you to receive universal condemnation, character assassination, prison torture, prison rape, and a life sentence all at the same time is the presence of a SEQUENCE OF BYTES ON YOUR HARD DRIVE THAT ANYBODY COULD HAVE PLACED THERE

Re: Life Sentence for British Student Draws Criticism for U.A.E

#26

Post by frereubu » Wed, Nov 21, 2018, 8:38 PM UTC

CosmicShadow wrote: post #5

I don't know why anyone would visit a country with such insane laws, it's just too dangerous. Sure they seem to have a lot of interesting stuff going on and to see, but a big fat NOPE after you read anything about their rules and how they treat people!

A female friend who's a paediatrician was being courted by the Saudi government to come and start a programme there. Women's health - including pregnancy and childbirth - was dreadful because all doctors were male but they weren't allowed to touch or even view women's naked bodies. Breast cancer survival rates were horrific too, and probably still are - this was only a few years ago.

The idea was to move there with her husband, who was an anaesthiologist. Despite loving him dearly and trusting him implicitly she turned down the financially lucrative offer when she discovered that any time she wanted to leave the country she'd have to have a letter signed by him giving his permission. The risk was low but the stakes were far too high.

Re: Life Sentence for British Student Draws Criticism for U.A.E

#27

Post by devoply » Wed, Nov 21, 2018, 8:40 PM UTC

https://globalnews.ca/news/4684113/matthew-hedges-student-ua...

> Hedges, a 31-year-old doctoral student at Durham University, has been held in the UAE since May 5, when he was arrested at Dubai International Airport after a two-week research visit.

Surely you can't spy in any significant way on a country you entered 2 weeks ago.

> The hearing lasted less than five minutes and his lawyer was not present, his family said.

Re: Life Sentence for British Student Draws Criticism for U.A.E

#28

Post by Aspos » Wed, Nov 21, 2018, 8:40 PM UTC

oh_sigh wrote: post #18

Aspos wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If my memory serves me right the guy was caught a year or two ago and was under heavy investigation by UAE counter-intelligence team. And a life sentence is not something UAE courts would hand out lightly, especially in these circumstances. My best guess is that UAE have not got what it asked for to release the guy pre-trial, but will get something now and sheikh will pardon the guy next week.

Is it your belief that the UAE generally conservative with their prison sentences? What about the guy who had a piece of marijuana, invisible to the naked eye, smaller than a grain of sugar(0.003g), on his shoe - who was jailed for 4 years? https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-512815/Briton-jaile...

Never claimed that UAE is conservative with prison sentences. But having lived there for decade I can tell, in this particular case we are discussing UAE courts would not be quick to give life sentence.

UAE is in the hot region and their CID is doing an amazing job keeping UAE safe. As I recall this guy's case was somehow related to other much more serious cases where a bunch of UAE nationals got their life sentences as well. I, personally, have little sympathy to those who sabotage and disrupt peace in the region and I have no reasons to suspect CID to play stupid games in this particular case.

Re: Life Sentence for British Student Draws Criticism for U.A.E

#29

Post by Cyph0n » Wed, Nov 21, 2018, 8:41 PM UTC

Latteland wrote: post #22

alexis_fr wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Look at Japan: 23-day police custody period. After that there’s a 99.99% confession rate. Carlos Ghosn, president of Nissan, seems to have just discovered it: He will be interrogated for 12 days. I would never go to such countries.

Japan is not going to torture him, keep him up without letting him sleep are they? They have the rule of law and generally treat people well. You can't seriously compare those countries, can you?

It’s definitely much better than KSA, but 23 days in police custody? Most people would break under the pressure alone - no torture necessary...

Re: Life Sentence for British Student Draws Criticism for U.A.E

#30

Post by jliptzin » Wed, Nov 21, 2018, 8:42 PM UTC

twelvechairs wrote: post #20

jliptzin wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you tell me what is so interesting to see in these countries that it’s worth potentially sacrificing your freedom or your life for what we consider minor infractions?

> for what we consider minor infractions? International spying in this case? I'm not sure thats a minor infraction

Not this specific case but I have read numerous times about small time things that result in decades in prison or worse in these backwards countries, a sibling has provided an example.

In this case I still don’t see what warrants a life sentence.