British man detained in Oman ‘after swearing’ when his connecting flight was delayed
Friends attempt to raise £22,000 after Portsmouth native jailed
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Your support makes all the difference.A British man has been detained for swearing in an Oman airport.
Les Bragg was returning to the UK from the Philippines last month and swore when he heard his connecting flight to London Heathrow from Muscat Airport was delayed.
The Portsmouth native, 41, was detained shortly afterwards, according to The Sun.
Laura Weston, Mr Bragg’s friend, launched a Go Fund Me page to help raise funds for his legal bill.
“Our dear friend Les was travelling back to the UK to help care for his disabled mother and Nan suffering with dementia when he was arrested out of the blue at the airport,” the dental nurse said.
“He is now in prison in Oman and was forced to sign a document in Arabic incriminating him. He’s been trapped in prison since without any permission for contact.
“The conditions in prison are terrible and Les hasn’t eaten for days,” Ms Weston added.
“We’re really worried about him and desperately want to get him home safe to his family and loved ones.”
Lawyers in Oman have asked for £22,000 to secure Mr Bragg’s release, according to the Go Fund Me page.
“Please help us get our wonderful friend out of danger – any donation you could spare would be greatly received,” Ms Weston said.
The dental nurse had raised more than £1,500 by Friday.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We are supporting a British man and his family following his arrest in Oman and are in contact with the Omani authorities.”
Mr Bragg was arrested a month after two British teachers were jailed in Oman.
The women were arrested in May, after trying to rescue dogs which were being mistreated in Muscat.
Detained in Dubai, a legal organisation which represents Britons who have been arrested in the Gulf, said the women’s case appeared to be “down to a cultural misunderstanding”.
Additional reporting by agencies
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