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Nichole Coffel

Testimonial from Nichole Coffel for Radha Stirling - Horse bite victim detained in Abu Dhabi

Hi I'm Nichole Coffel and if it weren't for Radha Stirling, when I got arrested and Detained in Abu Dhabi, UAE for crimes I didn't commit, I'd still be locked up abroad.  Thank you Radha for my freedom



Nichole was charged under the UAE’s notoriously vague cybercrime laws. Nichole was bitten by a horse during the course of her employment. She suffered severe injuries and equally severe medical bills. When Nichole asked for her wages, her employer made a criminal complaint against Nichole and her nightmare began.




In 2019, American citizen Nichole Coffel, a mother of three from Missouri, faced legal challenges in Abu Dhabi after her employer, Emirati jockey Anoud Al Suwaidi, filed a complaint against her. Coffel had been working as a horse trainer and suffered a severe injury from a horse bite during her employment. When she requested her unpaid wages and compensation for medical expenses, her employer accused her of violating the UAE's cybercrime laws, leading to Coffel's arrest and detention.


Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, took up Coffel's case, highlighting the misuse of the UAE's cybercrime laws to silence employees seeking rightful compensation. Stirling contacted the complainant directly and brought international media attention to the case, emphasizing the risks foreign workers face in the UAE's legal system. She stated, "Anyone who enters the UAE will be in violation of their impossibly strict cybercrime laws and could face detention in a system that has little regard for innocence or guilt."


Through the efforts of Detained in Dubai and the resulting media coverage, Coffel's case gained international attention, leading to her eventual release. Expressing her gratitude, Coffel shared her experience in a testimonial video, thanking Radha Stirling and Detained in Dubai for their unwavering support during her ordeal.

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