Following the Laws of the Land

Most people tend to view airport security as inconveniences that must be tolerated even though they seem to target people who 'aren't security threats' such as old women and children. Still, the security services around the world have a tough job and it often goes unappreciated. I know there are tons of people here in the States who resent having to stand in lines at airports to go through security checks and baggage screening but it's for our own safety and for them to be able to ensure they are doing all they can for our safety. After all, how would the world react if it's discovered that the latest act of attempted terrorism was allowed to go off because security at an airport was far too lax?

That being said, there are times when what we go through here in the States pales in comparison to what some people endure around the world. Many people tend to have an insular view (and I'm not just talking about Americans but people everywhere) of what laws do and don't apply to them. Some of these laws are a bit outlandish but others are rules that the people of those countries have passed and do abide by so if we are to visit those places then we are expected to follow those rules. I think most people understand that but what they fail to understand is just how strict some of these rules can be. Take for example the United Arab Emirates which is located at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. The major city, Dubai, is fast becoming one of the most modern and advanced cities in the entire Middle East and as such, it is becoming a popular European tourist destination for shopping and beach-going. What many don't realize is that they also have a very strict, zero-tolerance drug policy in effect. How strict? Read on.

Recently, a British citizen on his way home to England from a trip to visit relatives in Ethiopia stopped off in Dubai for some shopping rather than taking a direct flight to England as he normally did. While walking through the airport, he was stopped by customs officials and he was searched. Detectors turned up approximately 0.03 grams of hashish on the bottom of his shoe. How small is that? It's so small that it isn't even visible to the naked eye. And was it hiding in his shoe? No. It was on the bottom of his shoe, as in he had stepped on it. Still, he was convicted of attempting to bring illegal drugs into the country and was arrested and sentenced to four years in prison. And this person is by no means the first. People have been arrested for possession of illegal drugs which are anything but illegal. People have been busted in Dubai for possessing anti-jet lag pills even though they are available over the counter in Dubai and most parts of the world.

People can protest but officials in those countries point to the fact that it is the law and they are enforcing it. It seems a bit much but it's the law of the land. What about the recent incident in Saudi Arabia where a woman was arrested and thrown in jail for meeting a work colleague in Starbucks. What happened was she was working in an office with her co-workers when the power suddenly went out. They came out of the office and went to Starbucks to take advantage of the wi-fi connection available there. She was spotted with the co-worker, who was a male she was not related or married to, which was in violation of Saudi Arabian law. She was arrested and thrown in prison. Although she was later pardoned and released, officials stated that the officers who arrested her were well within their rights to make the arrest as they were simply enforcing the law.

In the face of such stringent laws, not being able to carry water through security checkpoints seems to be a minor thing. I mean people are being arrested for having poppy seeds (a raw opium derivative) on their clothes which were leftovers from the bagel they had for breakfast so what else could set off guards in other countries? Rules like that seem to be extreme and they are, but like I said, they are the laws of that particular country and no matter how stringent or unbending, they are to be followed. Remember a few years ago when an American visiting Indonesia was arrested for vandalism? He was sentenced to public caning? Everyone up to the President protested that this was a violation of his rights but the counter-arguement was that he violated the laws of the country and therefore could be punished. End result? He was caned. Probably a painful alternative but better than spending years in prison for simply leaving crumbs on your clothes after breakfast or stepping in something you didn't even see. I think I'll stay home this summer.