UAE restricts its citizens' dress choices

UAE restricts its citizens' dress choices

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) called on its citizens to avoid wearing traditional Arab clothing when travelling abroad after US police brutally detained an Emirati businessman suspected of being a militant.

In a message on a Foreign Ministry Twitter account focusing on citizens traveling abroad, the ministry said Saturday:

"For citizens traveling outside the country, and in order to ensure their safety, we point out not to wear formal dress while travelling, especially in public places," the message dated July 2 stated, without referring to the Avon incident.

UAE media reported that the Emirati man was detained in Avon, Ohio, last week after a female clerk at a local hotel called 911 to report what she had described as a man affiliated to Daesh, Reuters cited the Arabic-language al-Bayan newspaper as reporting on Sunday. It only identified him by his initials.

UAE media published photos of the Emirati man in white robes being wrestled to the ground and handcuffed before being led away by police.

The Foreign Ministry, in a message posted on its website in Arabic and English, urged citizens to abide by the laws of countries they are visiting. It alerted women to countries in Europe whose laws prohibit wearing of face covers, also without referring to the incident in Avon.

Local newspapers said Avon police released the man after they realized their mistake, but he fainted and needed hospital treatment.

Emirati local newspaper reported that the citizen had hired a lawyer to pursue the case, saying he had received no apology from either the police or the hotel.
 

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