October 24,2022

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission has provided the real reason why a Nigerian lady is currently in a United Arab Emirates prison.

The lady, who the commission identified as Ms Dunchi Lar is expected to stay in prison for one year.

Providing clarification on Sunday, 23 October 2022, the commission explained that Lar was arrested and jailed for violating the country’s cybercrime law.

According to a statement signed by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the commission’s public relations officer, and posted on Twitter, it was also noted that the action of Lar was illegal according to the country’s law.

Lar had posted herself on Twitter with a group of Nigerians kept in a room at Dubai international airport

 Twitter user @jerrydoubles who claimed to be her relative first brought the news of her arrest and sentence to the public

What the commission is saying

The statement from the commission reads:

“The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission hereby gives more clarification on the case of a Nigerian lady, Ms Dunchi Lar, who was convicted under United Arab Emirates laws for recording and circulating “offensive” video on Social media.

“Under the UAE cybercrime law, taking a video or photograph of someone without his/her consent and posting such on social media is an offence punishable with one year jail term or a fine of between approximately $69,000 and $137,000 or both jail term and fine.

“Ms Lar made and tweeted the viral video of the UAE official at the Airport. This law also applies to eavesdropping, recording, photographing, or disclosing audio or video communication of a person without his/her permission, taking photographs or videos of a dead person or accident victim without such person’s consent

She was sentenced on the 12th of October and has 15 days to appeal the judgment.

Ms Dunchi Lar can still appeal the ruling and has been assured of moral and consular support by the Nigerian Mission in Dubai.”