{"id":96978,"date":"2015-03-06T07:35:21","date_gmt":"2015-03-06T07:35:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=96978"},"modified":"2015-03-06T07:35:21","modified_gmt":"2015-03-06T07:35:21","slug":"facebook-rant-lands-us-man-in-uae-jail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2015\/03\/facebook-rant-lands-us-man-in-uae-jail\/","title":{"rendered":"Facebook rant lands US man in UAE jail"},"content":{"rendered":"
An expat American has been arrested in the United Arab Emirates for comments he posted on Facebook while in the US.<\/p>\n
Helicopter mechanic Ryan Pate wrote the Facebook post while in Florida after arguing with employer Global Aerospace Logistics (Gal) over sick leave.<\/p>\n
On returning to Abu Dhabi from Florida, he was arrested for breaking the country’s strict cyber-slander laws.<\/p>\n
His trial is due to start on 17 March and he could face up to five years in jail and a large fine if found guilty.<\/p>\n
Legal fee<\/span><\/p>\n Mr Pate’s dispute with his employer began in December last year when he sought to extend his holiday to see a doctor about a long-standing back injury. After being told he could not extend his leave, Mr Pate posted a rant about the Abu Dhabi-based firm on his Facebook page.<\/p>\n In the post, Mr Pate called Gal “backstabbers” and warned other contractors about working for the firm. He also complained about life in the UAE and used a racial slur against the region’s people.<\/p>\n He returned to Abu Dhabi in order to resign but soon after arriving he was called by police who told him to report to a nearby police station. On attending he was shown screenshots of the Facebook message and told his employer had filed charges accusing him of breaking wide-ranging Emirates laws that ban slander.<\/p>\n The laws were introduced in late 2012 and make it an offence to use the net to mock or deride organisations and individuals.<\/p>\n