A British Bollywood actress claims she was detained in Dubai for 2 months after she threatened to publish a few pal on social media.
Sofia Hayat, 39, who has starred in Waterloo Highway and within the Indian model of Large Brother, was on per week lengthy journey when she bought in hassle.
She fell out with somebody she claims borrowed cash from her – and she or he threatened to out them on Instagram, she mentioned.
She thought nothing of it till she tried to get on a flight – when her passport was seized by police who put her in a cell for six hours, questioning her for an extra six hours, she claims.
Sofia had unknowingly damaged strict legal guidelines round posting defamatory feedback on social media.
Informed to remain in Dubai – and with out her passport – she was compelled to lease AirBnbs in Dubai for 2 months.
Sofia, a 39-year-old actress from Battersea, mentioned she was held in a ‘freezing, soiled and small’ cell in Dubai after being detained for making defamatory feedback a few pal
Sofia mentioned she noticed one other facet of Dubai and would ‘by no means return’ after her hellish expertise
Sofia from Battersea, London, was lastly allowed dwelling with out a tremendous or imprisonment after she was introduced earlier than a decide, she says.
However she claims her prolonged keep price her £20,000 – and she or he misplaced an extra £20,000 of enterprise as a non secular healer whereas she was away.
Talking now she is again within the UK, Sofia mentioned: ‘Dubai is definitely a hell gap.
‘I anticipated a contemporary nation stuffed with glamour, wealth and all of the wonderful issues it seems to be on Instagram and TikTok.
‘That is all a lie. I am going to by no means return.
‘Being held like that’s horrible. I used to be heartbroken and it was extraordinarily lonely.
‘I used to be continually cancelling shoppers as a result of I could not go dwelling and frightened on a regular basis that I would lose them.
‘I could not ebook a long-term place to remain as a result of I had no thought how lengthy I would need to be there.
‘I used to be having hassle sleeping. I had no thought I would dedicated against the law till I contacted the general public prosecutor. I simply wished to go dwelling.’
Sofia flew to Dubai on December 28 final 12 months from London – and was as a result of be there for seven days.
She fought with a pal who she claims borrowed cash from her – and threatened to publish about it on social media, she mentioned.
So as an alternative of seeing out the remainder of her journey in Dubai, she tried to go to Saudi Arabia to spend New 12 months’s Eve with a pal.
However at Dubai Worldwide Airport her passport was taken and she or he was held by police from 3am to 3pm, being questioned by as much as 5 officers, she mentioned.
The cell she was in was ‘freezing, soiled, and small’, she mentioned.
Her telephone was taken and she or he wasn’t allowed to name anybody – however after six hours she was allowed to textual content a pal, she claims.
‘They simply threw me in a cell – they did not inform me something,’ she mentioned.
‘Once I requested what was happening, the policeman simply advised me to “shut up”.
‘At first I used to be having panic assaults. I used to be shaking and crying as they questioned me.
‘They saved saying I would threatened to show a intercourse tape. I threatened to show a reputation.
‘Ultimately they did let me go, however I wasn’t allowed to go away the nation.
‘Ultimately I coped by meditating – I simply imagined myself in London laughing about being detained in Dubai.’
Sofia payed £250 per week for AirBnbs and needed to attend the police station twice per week, she mentioned.
After eight weeks she was advised by the general public prosecutor that threatening to place somebody’s title on social media is definitely against the law in Dubai, she mentioned.
She mentioned the penalty for her actions could possibly be two years in jail or a £50,000 tremendous.
Sofia mentioned she endured panic assaults as she was interrogated and held in a cell in Dubai
At a listening to the decide authorised her launch after it was heard cash was owed, she mentioned.
Nonetheless she is not sure precisely what occurred within the listening to, as a result of it was all in Arabic, she says.
She was given no penalty and her passport was returned, she claims.
Sofia was charged £400 on the Dubai airport for overstaying on her visa, she mentioned, and flew dwelling on February 26.
‘I feel the one cause I bought out is as a result of I’ve a British passport and I am an ex Bollywood actress,’ she mentioned.
The British Embassy in Dubai didn’t reply to a request for a remark.
