People lose position in a UAE criminal file in the first hours, usually by trying to be helpful. A summons is not a coffee meeting. A request to “explain” is often a request for a recorded statement.
If you are summoned
Take the paper seriously. Note the station, the time, and any case number. Tell a family member or colleague where you are going. Instruct criminal counsel before you attend if you can. If you cannot, attend, do not guess, and do not sign what you cannot read.
If you are arrested
You will want this to be over. That instinct produces long, unfocused statements. Short, accurate, and silent where you do not know is better than a narrative you later regret. Ask for a lawyer. Ask what you are accused of. Do not discuss the facts on a recorded phone call as if the call were private.
If the call is from overseas
Families outside the UAE often hear a version of events that is two hours old and already wrong. Send UAEAZ the name as it appears in the passport, the last known location, and any police or prosecution number. Do not post about the case.
What we need on the first call
- full name and nationality
- whether there is a case number
- whether there is a travel concern
- whether anyone has already given a statement
- copies of any paper, even a photograph of it
Related reading is not a substitute for contacting the firm the same day.
