A young student who has been sentenced to one year in prison in Dubai could end up in the city's notorious jail, with reportedly inhumane conditions.
Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos, 21, was travelling through Dubai airport while returning home from Istanbul when she was arrested.
The student has told of the "humiliating" and "violating" strip search at the airport in the United Arab Emirates, where she was detained before being sentenced to one year in prison, reports the Mirror.
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Human rights advocacy group Detained in Dubai has said that she is terrified that she will end up in the country's "notorious" Al Awir prison, which is infamous for shockingly inhumane conditions and human rights violations that the inmates are subjected to.
Dinchy Lar, 38, who was also sentenced to a year in prison, was held at Al Awir Central Prison in the UAE and described it as a place of severe overcrowding and dehumanizing conditions.
Fellow prisoner, Ms Lar shared her harrowing experiences inside the prison describing the cells that were originally designed for a few occupants, and now house a minimum of 10 people as a place that created an intense competition for the limited sleeping space available on three bunk beds.
Personal space is virtually nonexistent, forcing inmates to sleep in close quarters, often on the floor, Ms Lar said.
She told ITV News : "There's nothing like personal space... you are sleeping and somebody is in your face. You're literally sleeping on top of another person." Adding to the misery is the prison's extreme air conditioning, which creates freezing temperatures inside.
The harsh environment has led to health issues among prisoners, according to Ms Lar. Medical attention is reportedly scarce, with inmates having to reach a critical state of illness to receive treatment. Furthermore, inmates have limited access to the outdoors, with Ms. Lar mentioning that she could only step outside for a mere 15 minutes in three months.
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Ms Lar spoke of a racial hierarchy, where privileges such as access to medical care were granted based on nationality or ethnicity. She said she felt discriminated against because of her race, being denied medical attention when needed.
Concerns were also raised about the UAE's legal system, indicating that detainees could be held without proper communication and legal representation. Coercion during confessions and limited access to lawyers underscored the challenges faced by inmates in navigating the legal process.
The impact on the mental well-being of inmates is profound. Ms Lar, for instance, expressed feelings of shame and fear regarding societal judgment, impacting her emotional state and future employment prospects.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos remains trapped in Dubai fearing for the worst amid mounting reports of the horrendous conditions travellers who happened to be accused of a crime in UAE are subjected to. Detained in Dubai representative Radha Stirling said of Elizabeth's ordeal: "Elizabeth is extremely worried that she will be detained in the notorious Al Awir prison and won’t (as promised) be allowed to leave the country.
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"Even if she is allowed to be deported tomorrow, she will remain in prison until then, not knowing whether there will be further delays or whether in fact, she will end up forced to serve the whole sentence. This is an extreme situation for a 21-year-old to go through."
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