The Black woman detained in Dubai for months for allegedly “shouting” in public was finally released from jail this week.
Social media influencer Tierra Allen was released on Tuesday, August 8, and was on a flight from the United Arab Emirates back to the United States, CBS News reports. The TikTok known as the “Sassy Trucker” paid a $1,300 fee to have her travel ban lifted by authorities.
Allen received help from the international nonprofit Detained In Dubai in securing her return to the States. The Texas woman was arrested in May after arguing with a male car rental employee who reportedly tried to get her to pay thousands she didn’t owe.
“She
was told at the police station (Bur Dubai) that she has been accused of ‘shouting,’ which under the UAE’s laws is illegal under ‘offensive behavior,’ which is an unclear and subjective regulation, but warrants up to two years in prison, a fine and deportation,” said Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai.Stirling confirmed Allen’s return home in a case that amplified “the crucial role played by the media, and by the public, in demanding accountability and justice in the UAE.”
“Tierra was living a nightmare and facing fines and lengthy imprisonment, until her case was brought into the spotlight of international media scrutiny,” Stirling said.
“Without that attention, all too often, Emirati authorities pay little heed to due process, fairness, and human rights.”
Stirling, an activist and lawyer specializing in Arab nations’ laws, said Allen is the latest tourist to get caught up in a “common” rental car scheme that targets UAE tourists.
“Rental car agencies are notorious for opening criminal cases against visitors with the promise to drop the case if they are paid off,” Stirling explained.
“The prevalence of blackmail is damaging to the UAE’s tourism and investment sectors and Dubai’s government needs to crack down on this abuse of process.”
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