Irishman released from Dubai custody after emoji controversy heads home for Christmas

Stuart Quiney, an Irishman, has been released from custody in Dubai after facing potential jail time for sending "threatening" emojis. He is now on a flight home to Dublin, where he plans to spend Christmas with his family. Quiney was detained after sending the emojis to a Belgian man regarding the unauthorized removal of his belongings. He was arrested upon arrival in Dubai in September and faced a travel ban due to strict laws against offensive messages. After weeks of advocacy, Quiney was fined AED 10,000 (about €2,585) instead of serving time. His case highlights the UAE's strict laws on online communication, which can apply to messages sent from outside the country.