90% of deportations are debt-related in Dubai

The Travel Ban and Deportation Committee received 56 cases for consideration.

Judge Ahmad Saif, Head of the committee, said  36 people – 31 men and 5 women - were deported in 2013. Of these cases, 33 decisions were issued by the committee.

More than 90 per cent of deportation cases are financial cases, wherein people couldn’t  recover their money.

The committee was set up by the Dubai Government in 2007 to study cases of people who are handed over deportation sentences as well as those who have a travel ban because of non-payment of debt.

However, according to the decree, the committee has the right to cancel a travel ban.

Judge Saif said deportation can happen due to legal negligence by creditors when issuing travel bans decisions against the debtors.

Deportation  happens in two instances – if creditors [who asked for ban of debtors] fail to file a lawsuit to claim their rights within eight days of the travel ban being issued. And also if they fail to open a file to implement the decision within a month as set by law.

Also when the committee assesses a case depending on the seriousness of the creditors and their interest in recovering their money.

Estimated negligence is when the creditor takes the legal measures but does not follow up on the proceedings for at least 4 or 5 months.

Judge Ahmed Saif disclosed that legal negligence by creditors is about 40 per cent and estimated negligence about 60 per cent.

There were three cases wherein the committee cancelled travel bans against them. One of them reached a compromise with the creditor; the other paid half the debt amount of the debt; and the third person had served his punishment [36 months in custody].

Judge Ahmed Saif said the financial claims of the cases ranged between Dh10,000 and Dh20 million.

He explained that in cases where the debtor is deported after serving term, the creditors can file a case in the debtors’ country.

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