Tori Towey, the native of Co Roscommon who was facing charges and subject to a travel ban in Dubai after trying to flee her abusive husband, is now set to return home to Ireland.
“The charges against Tori Towey have been officially withdrawn by Dubai police and the travel ban lifted,” Radha Stirling, the CEO of the advocacy group Detained in Dubai who had been assisting Towey, said on X today, Wednesday, July 10.
“Tori and her mother are both over the moon and we are ever grateful for widespread support of the public, the media, and the Irish government!
“We hope her transit at the airport will go smoothly and that no further attempts will be made to keep her in the country.
“Well done Ireland!”
The charges against Tori Towey have been officially withdrawn by #Dubai police and the travel ban lifted. Tori and her mother are both over the moon and we are ever grateful for widespread support of the public, the media and the Irish government! We hope her transit at the… pic.twitter.com/QfzHpAfHMi
— Radha Stirling (@RadhaStirling) July 10, 2024
Towey, 28, was severely abused by her husband in Dubai, where she moved last year after accepting a job with Emirates Airlines. During one of his attacks, he tore up the Irish woman's two passports.
When Towey filed a police report and attempted to replace her passport, she learned that there was a travel ban against her, though she didn't know why. Detained in Dubai confirmed that "it's commonplace for spouses to open pre-emptive cases against the victim to try to immunize themselves from their own criminal cases."
Towey returned home to her husband, but the abuse did not subside.
According to Detained in Dubai: "Tori arranged to fly home to Ireland, but when she arrived at the airport, was told a case against her by her husband had been dropped but the travel ban remained.
"She attended the police station who assured her the travel ban would be lifted but it never happened.
"She was stuck."
The following day, her husband again launched into another rage. Towey believed he was going to kill her, as he had promised before.
"Feeling like there was no way out, Tori ran upstairs to the bathroom and wrapped an electrical lead around her neck," Detained in Dubai says.
"The next thing she remembers is an ambulance crew and police waking her up. She was taken to Al Barsha police station and kept for several hours before going home again.
"Her mother [Caroline] pleaded to the Irish Consulate, but in the absence of their assistance, boarded a flight to Dubai.
"When she arrived, she wasn’t allowed to see Tori alone, her abuser wouldn’t allow it. The three met at Emirates mall, then attended the prosecutor's office to find out what charges had been registered against her."
Towey had been charged with attempted suicide and alcohol consumption. She was told nothing could be done and that the cases against her were going to court on July 18.
Later that night, the husband went to the pub. When he returned home, he began verbally abusing Towey again and "pushing her around."
Towey and her mother packed her bags and left the home, "this time for good."
Tori Towey. (Detained in Dubai)
Detained in Dubai launched a campaign to raise awareness about Towey's plight this week, and Taoiseach Simon Harris vowed to intervene after the matter was raised to him by TDs Mary Lou McDonald and Claire Kerrane in the Dáil yesterday, July 9.
Myself and @ClaireKerrane raised the emergency case of Tori Towey with the Taoiseach seeking urgent intervention in her situation.
The system in Dubai, rather than protecting this Irish citizen chose to detain and charge her.
She wants to come home.
The Taoiseach must… pic.twitter.com/X9VF0afrbx
— Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) July 9, 2024
On Wednesday, McDonald announced on X that Towey's travel ban had been lifted and thanked people for their support.
Speaking with reporters not long later, McDonald said the situation raises "fundamental questions about the treatment of women in Dubai."
Tori Towey will now travel home to Ireland. All of the support, all of the goodwill and all of the determination was felt very strongly by Tori and her mum Caroline.
We await her safe return to Ireland. Thank you to everybody for your support ❤️@MaryLouMcDonald pic.twitter.com/s17fpgyZ5v
— Sinn Féin (@sinnfeinireland) July 10, 2024
The Taoiseach received the news that Towey's travel ban had been lifted while in the Dáil on Wednesday. He said the Embassy will be taking Towey and her mother to the airport as soon as they're ready to go.
He later said on X that he spoke with Towey and her mother on the phone today.
NEW: Taoiseach tells Dáil that the UAE's travel ban on Roscommon flight attendant Tori Towey has just been lifted, and that the Irish embassy in UAE will bring her to the airport to travel home as soon as she is ready to do so. @virginmedianews pic.twitter.com/rdqNTc8WES
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) July 10, 2024
In a statement, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said he "warmly welcomes" the news that Towey is "now free to return to Ireland."
He noted: "This is an outcome that Ambassador Alison Milton, officials, and our Embassy in UAE have been working on for the last while."
Very pleased that Tori Towey is free to return home.
My thanks to Ambassador Alison Milton and her team at the Irish Embassy in UAE who have worked so hard on this case over the last while.@IEAmbUAE
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) July 10, 2024
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