Dubai authorities have officially dropped all charges against Irish national Tori Towey and closed her case, confirming that she is now free to leave the country. According to a BBC report, the 28-year-old flight attendant from Roscommon had faced charges of attempted suicide and alcohol consumption, and her passport had been destroyed during the legal proceedings.
The Dubai Public Prosecution confirmed the case closure to the BBC, and Radha Stirling, a lawyer and human rights advocate with the Detained in Dubai group, shared that Towey and her mother were “over the moon” at the news. Stirling expressed gratitude for the public, media, and Irish government support on social media, stating, “We hope her transit at the airport will go smoothly and that no further attempts will be made to keep her in the country.”
The travel ban preventing Towey from leaving the UAE was lifted, as announced by Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris. He assured that the Irish embassy in the UAE would assist Towey in her journey home. Harris previously condemned the treatment of Towey as “utterly, utterly unacceptable” and revealed that she had been the victim of male violence.
“What Tori has been through is unimaginable for so many people here,” Harris said. “A woman who has been the victim of a brutal attack found herself waking up not in a hospital, but in a police station.”
Towey’s aunt, Ann Flynn, expressed relief on BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme, saying, “The travel ban being lifted is a huge relief. Hopefully, they will be home tomorrow. We just want her home; we just want to start a new chapter with her.”
The case gained international attention after being highlighted by Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald in the Irish parliament. McDonald emphasized the severity of Towey’s situation, stating that her passport had been destroyed and a travel ban imposed.