Freedom to drug is now an international priority
Last week, an R&B producer named Dallas Austin was arrested at an airport in Dubai for attempting to smuggle in small amounts of cocaine, most likely for use at the birthday party of Naomi Campbell. Austin was sentenced to four years in a Dubai prison, followed by deportation back to the United States.
What happened? Numerous celebrities mobilized themselves and their legal teams to secure his release, even lobbying Senator Orrin Hatch, a Republican from Utah, who in turn contacted Dubai’s ambassador in Washington. Shortly thereafter, Austin was pardoned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum.
The United States has a responsibility to look out for the welfare of its citizens abroad, especially when they are in danger of falling prey to the brutal prison systems of the Middle East. However, the disproportionate and shameful amount of influence exerted by celebrities and our Congress to secure the release of a drug smuggler is baffling, disappointing, and reveals a serious shortcoming in moral priorities.
At this same time, ordinary citizens without fancy Hollywood connections are being persecuted daily. Dr Kamal al-Labwani, a human rights activist in Syria, was arrested at Damascus airport simply for visiting human rights organizations and government officials in Europe and the US. A number of individuals were arrested for signing the “Damascus Declaration,” which was a renewed call for President Assad to use his inherited power to implement democratic reform. One man, Muhammad Ghanem, was arrested for running a website that “insulted the President.”
