A young British woman was arrested and is being detained in Dubai after witnessing a physical altercation in a hotel lobby.

Asa Hutchinson, 21, of Chelmsford, in Essex, was held by police after a group of her male friends took selfies with a man in his 50s who had fallen asleep on a sofa.

The man, reported to be a technology company executive, allegedly began punching the pranksters when he woke up, a number of whom suffered blows to their heads.

Ms. Hutchinson claims she was not present during the incident but has been charged with assault and theft and campaigners are now warning she faces the risk of jail.

She said: “The man woke up and began punching the boys. I heard the commotion and came back to see what was going on.

“He called the police and made official complaints about the boys for taking pictures of him and for being rude.”

The men had been visiting ex-pat Asa when the incident happened nearby Dusty’s bar in the DIFC district. They have since left Dubai, allegedly leading police to charge her as if she were responsible for their actions.

Asa’s mother, Lucie, said: “You always worry about your kids, especially in these Middle Eastern countries.

“There is so much on the news about the way they treat British visitors, but Asa was having a great time.

“She loved the work and made so many friends. She is a quiet, sensible girl and really is the last person to start any trouble.”

Briton Jamie Harron was recently freed in Dubai, following three-month imprisonment for touching a man’s hip.

The Standard has approached the Foreign Office for comment.

British Woman, 21, Arrested in Dubai for ‘Witnessing Fight’ in Hotel Lobby, www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/british-woman-21-arrested-in-dubai-for-witnessing-fight-in-hotel-lobby/ar-BBFUk7V?li=AAmiR2Z&MSCC=1511966174&ocid=spartanntp.                          

A tourist who was arrested for allegedly using his mobile phone while going through security at Abu Dhabi International Airport was fined Dh10,000 and will be deported.

Joseph Lee, a 59-year-old American, who was arrested in the capital before Thanksgiving will be repatriated after paying his fine, officials said.

Mr. Lee’s son, Jonathon, who was traveling with his father, said Joseph was filming his mistreatment by airport officials.

“I believe he began recording because they were treating him unfairly, in a rude manner, and in Abu Dhabi that’s a pretty big criminal offense and I believe that’s why he was detained,” Jonathan told local news agencies.

The two were transiting in Abu Dhabi for 11 hours after returning from a holiday together in Bangkok.

Jonathan told NBC they took a quick tour of the city before returning to the airport where they were separated as his father was selected for a secondary security screening.

Jonathan said he received a phone call from his father moments later telling him he had been arrested.

He said he expected his father to be released momentarily so he boarded a plane and returned home.

Taking photographs or filming in public places is not prohibited in public places in the UAE unless explicitly stated. However, it is forbidden to film or photograph critical installations and strategic and military locations, for instance, for security reasons. Taking photographs at airport security stations is prohibited across many countries.

Jonathon and his father had planned to spend Thanksgiving at his daughter’s home in Texas.

“We just want to let the UAE government know that there is no ill intent of my father and that we just want him back home. We want him back home safe and sound,” Jonathon said.

Nowais, Shireena Al. “Tourist Fined Dh10,000 and Deported for ‘Filming Abu Dhabi Airport Security’ .” The National, The National, 27 Nov. 2017, www.thenational.ae/uae/courts/tourist-fined-dh10-000-and-deported-for-filming-abu-dhabi-airport-security-1.679135.                          

A Plano family is desperate for information this Thanksgiving after their father was arrested thousands of miles from home.

Joseph Lee’s children say he was arrested at an airport in Abu Dhabi for one reason: he used his cell phone while going through security.

They say they haven’t heard from him since.

“I believe he began recording because they were treating him unfairly, in a rude manner, and in Abu Dhabi, that’s a pretty big criminal offense and I believe that’s why he was detained,” his son Jonathan Lee said.

Lee was with his father at the airport.

They were wrapping up a father, son trip to Bangkok, Thailand.

The Lees were on the last leg of their return home. They had an 11-hour layover in Abu Dhabi.

Jonathan says they took a quick tour of the city and when they returned to the airport, Joseph was randomly selected for a secondary security screening.

They were separated and minutes later, Jonathan says he received a phone call from Joseph telling him he was under arrest.

Jonathan says his father expected to be released momentarily so he boarded a plane and returned home.

Neither he nor his sister, Elaine Strathern, have heard from him since.

“It’s awful, absolutely awful. We just want my dad back,” Jonathan said.

“We just want our father back. He’s a very good man,” Strathern said.

The family planned to spend Thanksgiving together at Elaine’s Plano home.

Celebrating, now, is the last thing on their minds with their 59-year-old father stranded overseas.

“We just want to let the UAE government know that there is no ill intent of my father and that we just want him back home. We want him back home safe and sound,” Jonathan said tearfully.

The Lee family has created an online petition to bring awareness to their story. As of Thursday, it had been signed by nearly 500 people.

NBC 5 contacted the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi. A representative said they are looking into the matter.

Yeomans, Meredith. “Family Begs for Father’s Return After UAE Airport Arrest.” NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth, NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth, 23 Nov. 2017, www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Man-Arrested-for-Using-Cell-Phone-in-Security-at-Abu-Dhabi-Airport-459458793.html.