• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Student sentenced to one year in prison after touching airport security guard's arm in Dubai is freed

Home> News> US News

Updated 07:49 4 Oct 2023 GMT+1Published 07:32 4 Oct 2023 GMT+1

Student sentenced to one year in prison after touching airport security guard's arm in Dubai is freed

Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos had been traveling from Istanbul to New York when the incident happened back in July

Katherine Sidnell

Katherine Sidnell

A student sentenced to a year in prison for touching a security guard’s arm has been freed.

Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos had been travelling from Istanbul to New York when the incident happened.

Though she faced being jailed in one of the United Arab Emirates’ most infamous prisons, the 21-year-old is ‘ecstatic’ as she heads home, according to advocacy group Detained in Dubai.

It follows a lengthy detainment by officials, with the Lehman College student being held for nearly three months.

Originally, Los Santos had landed in Dubai for a connecting flight with a layover of just six hours.

Advert

Intrigued by the Middle Eastern city though, her and a friend changed their plans – totally unaware of the ramifications it would have.

After landing in Dubai and going through security, the student was asked to remove a waist brace which she’d been wearing after a recent surgery.

The 21-year-old was told she has 'a one year prison sentence'.
Detained in Dubai

Having been moved to a booth, she claimed that the female staff member ‘roughly’ removed the medical brace and then laughed at her as struggled to get it back on.

Advert

It’s then that the alleged assault occurred, with Los Santos reportedly calling out to a friend to help her and leaning past the security guard, ‘gently’ touching her arm to move her out of the way.

After this, a complaint over alleged 'assaulting and insulting' was filed against her and the 21-year-old was detained – marking the beginning of her horrific ordeal.

Thankfully, the advocacy group now report that the college student is finally on her way home.

The student was meant to fly home to New York from Dubai.
Google Maps

Advert

According to Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, she boarded a flight on Tuesday night (Oct 3) back to New York after her sentence was commuted.

It comes just a day after the student was told she faced up to a year in prison.

Stirling told the press: “We are of course thankful that Elizabeth is on her way home but is that really a happy ending? She should have been home in May.

“Instead, she has been left with the scars of an incomprehensibly traumatic experience for a young student, she has lost US$50,000 that she will never be compensated for.

Advert

“Furthermore, she’s been convicted on the basis of mere allegations, sentenced to a year’s prison, fined and deported. That in itself is a disgrace.”

Following Los Santos' detention, there have been increased calls for warnings for US tourists visiting the UAE.

Featured Image Credit: Detained in Dubai

Topics: US News

Katherine Sidnell
Katherine Sidnell

Katherine is an entertainment journalist with a love of all things nerdy. Starting out writing Doctor Who fan fiction as a kid, she has gone on to interview the likes of Matt Damon, James May and Dua Lipa to name a few. Published in The Sun, The Daily Mail and Evening Standard - she now joins Ladbible as resident nerd in chief.

X

@ksidnell

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

6 hours ago
9 hours ago
10 hours ago
11 hours ago
  • 6 hours ago

    Amazon Prime series with near-perfect RT score is labeled 'one of the best' by Stephen King

    The series starring Titus Welliver has been branded 'one of the most underrated TV shows'

    Film & TV
  • 9 hours ago

    People horrified after hearing tech billionaire Peter Thiel’s ‘sociopathic’ response about the future of humanity

    People have been creeped out by how he answered a simple question

    News
  • 10 hours ago

    Doctor issues warning over hidden symptoms of Lyme disease as tick bites near record highs in US states

    Parts of the US have seen a sudden uptick in tick bites

    News
  • 11 hours ago

    ‘World’s top couple’s therapist’ reveals the one surprising behavior in people’s relationships that ‘scares her’

    The psychologist said this one thing in other couples doesn't seem real

    News
  • TSA set to make huge move in security that will change the way tourists travel in the US
  • Student claims TikTok saved his life after noticing concerning symptom while taking part in online trend
  • TSA issues warning as they ban certain card at airport security that's owned by millions
  • People shocked after finding out there's actually 11 liquids you can bring through airport security