Upload a Spoof Video, Go To Jail (In Dubai)

Taco Cowboy writes with news, as reported by the BBC, that eight people have been imprisoned in Dubai for creating a spoof video about youth culture in that country, for which they were accused of acting "with the intent of inciting to actions, or publishing or disseminating any information, news, caricatures, or other images liable to endanger state security and its higher interests or infringe on the public order." "The video, posted to YouTube, was a gentle satire on young men in the Satwa residential suburb of Dubai who adopt a 'gangsta' pose despite living the sedate, prosperous lifestyle more usually associated with Dubai residents."

Comments

It reminds me of the US

[mrchaotica]

As an American, it's hard to criticize Dubai when kids in the US getting expelled from school and/or arrested over the content of their jokes or writing assignments.

Re:It reminds me of the US

[Baloroth]

As an American, it's hard to criticize Dubai when kids in the US getting expelled from school and/or arrested over the content of their jokes or writing assignments.

No, it's still very easy to criticize. Just make sure you criticize everyone who acts like that.

Re:It reminds me of the US

[jklovanc]

There is a major difference between a couple of days off school and 8 months in prison and a permanent criminal record. Yes there have been some questionable arrests but I have yet to see convictions and prison sentences in the US.

Any country that can not take a little criticism of their youth really needs to take a hard look at themselves. The only way to change bad things is to first admit they are happening.

Re:It reminds me of the US

[AK Marc]

Having moved out of the US, I'm surprised at the lack of punishment for criminals. In the US, a criminal conviction is often a lifetime sentence, jobs, houses, and such are harder to come by. But in other parts of the globe, a prison sentence is "time served" and when you are out, you are treated like a regular person, so long as the criminal conviction isn't about something you are trying to do (i.e. a conviction for sexual assault of a minor or whatever will hurt your chances of being an elementary school teacher, but probably not a university teacher, and fraud conviction will hurt your chances of being CFO, but probably not COO).

So don't generalize the US "a criminal conviction is a life-long sentence" attitude to the rest of the world. It might not apply.

They have a good reason

[paiute]

These guys have to keep a paranoid, choking control on the people. Oil-filthy-rich nations in the region have to be praying that no organization whose initials are AQ would have the brilliant idea to take them over instead of wasting their time bombing malls and the streets outside embassies. I mean, how much effort would it take to overthrow Dubai? About as much as it would take to assume control of the Cleveland Rotary Club, maybe?

Re:They have a good reason

[AK Marc]

Don't they have more working immigrants than citizens now? If there were unrest, they'd have no way to keep control. It's more like Apartheid than anything else there. There are two classes, Citizens, and others. And the citizens live large (and silly) while the others do all the real work to keep it going.

defaming the UAE society's image abroad

[Anonymous Coward]

A state security court found them guilty of "defaming the UAE society's image abroad", according to the state-owned newspaper, The National.

Does anyone else find it funny that this arrest is "defaming the UAE society's image abroad" much more than the video ever would?

Streisand effect ?

[Alain Williams]

I would never have seen this video if they had not been tried in a kangaroo court. What makes Dubai a laughing stock, the video or the prison sentences ?

Dubai jails self for creating bad press for Dubai

[WaffleMonster]

Dubai's reaction generated more bad press for themselves and significantly enhanced viewership of a YouTube video nobody should waste their time watching...

Keep up the good work Dubai.

Re:Clean your own house first

[WaffleMonster]

Take care of your own house first before you complain about the actions of your neighbors.

Why does each task need to be executed sequentially rather than concurrently? Is there a hidden dependency forbidding concurrent execution?

The USA has plenty to feel guilty about. Stories like this tend to emphasize injustices elsewhere in the world, and IGNORE that these same injustices may be happening at home, but are under-reported.

Smells like "Buuut Mommmmy ... Jonny did it toooo"

Halliburton

[Princeofcups]

No wonder Cheney moved Halliburton to Dubai. After 8 years in office, this is what he always wanted the US to be.

Re:God damn!

[murdocj]

I wondered how long it would take to morph a discussion on how Dubai suppresses speech into "USA Evil!!!!" Congratulations!

The UAE is not an open society

[bunyip]

Don't ever confuse Dubai with an open and modern society. It's a monarchy that needs to hold onto power and does not toerate criticism or free speech of any kind. They walk a fine line between the glamour of business, yet holding onto traditional values and conservatism.

It's also illegal to kiss in public, even for a married couple. People have been arrested, imprisoned and deported for such indecency.

Re:The UAE is not an open society

[Anonymous Coward]

such indecency!

I hear the males over there are so utterly without any form of willpower that so much as seeing any display of affection, or even the slightest hint of female flesh, that they are completely unable to hold themselves back from from raping the female to within an inch of her life. Once that inch is reached, their society murders her for the crime of being raped. Its all her fault remember.

This is why females have to hide under a burka, so as not to provide even the slightest hint of femininity, as so much as seeing a thigh or a abdomen is enough to turn the males into feral dogs utterly unable to hold themselves back from the desire to rape a woman.

Fucking barbarians.

Re:God damn!

[rsilvergun]

My understanding is America is a large part of what made the Middle East so extreme. We meddled in their politics to keep Communism from spreading and ended up putting some really awful people in power. Our relentless thirst for cheap oil doesn't help matters much either.