VZCZCXRO3233
RR RUEHDE
DE RUEHAD #1342 0951352
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 051352Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4376
INFO RUEHTL/AMEMBASSY TALLINN 0003
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 6005
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP/ISA/NESA//
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001342 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR PM - R.LOFTIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2011 
TAGS: PREL MARR PHUM NATO AE EN
SUBJECT: NATO SOLDIER SENTENCED TO 80 LASHES FOR OFFENSES 
DURING AIRPORT LAYOVER 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (SBU) On April 3, a Shari'a court in the northern emirate 
of Sharjah sentenced Estonian Master Sergeant Andrei Korol to 
one month in jail and 80 lashes for crimes committed at 
Sharjah International Airport on February 23.  Korol was 
sentenced to 40 lashes and time served for public 
intoxication, and three months in jail for sexual harassment. 
 Korol chose to substitute an additional 40 lashes in lieu of 
the three months in jail, and will be deported following 
completion of his sentence. 
 
¶2. (SBU)  According to English-language dailies "Gulf News" 
and "Khaleej Times," Korol, an Estonian soldier attached to 
the NATO peacekeeping forces in Afghanistan, was arrested on 
February 23 during a layover on his return to Estonia.  Korol 
reportedly purchased a large quantity of alcohol in the 
Sharjah duty free shops and consumed it in between his 
flights.  Looking for a restroom, Korol reportedly found 
himself in the ladies room, where he molested a Sharjah 
policewoman of Egyptian nationality who had fallen asleep on 
a sofa.  The arresting officers reported that they found 
Korol in the ladies room, lying on top of the screaming 
policewoman. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Note: The Shari'a courts in the emirate of Sharjah 
are known among the strictest in the UAE.  There is zero 
tolerance for public intoxication, and a penalty of 40 lashes 
is consistent with other cases of this nature.  An additional 
40 lashes in lieu of jail time is on the lenient side of the 
range of possible penalties for sexual assault, which often 
include lashes in addition to jail time.  End note. 
 
¶4. (SBU) CG Dubai received a phone call the afternoon of 
April 5 from his Dutch counterpart.  The Dutch CG said his 
government had agreed to assist the Estonian government in 
seeking a resolution of the case.  The Dutch CG was calling 
from the prosecutor's office in Sharjah.  He had gone there 
under the impression that the soldier would be receiving a 
"very light" flogging, after which he would be released into 
the Dutch CG's custody.  Unfortunately, the agreement 
regarding the flogging had apparently broken down, and the 
prosecutor was refusing to release the soldier.  The Dutch CG 
said he was told by the Sharjah prosecutor that "the 
Americans are pressuring us not to carry out the lashing." 
Instead, the prosecutor will be appealing the case, and 
seeking the maximum 15-year imprisonment sentence.  The 
soldier "collapsed" upon hearing the news, according to the 
Dutch CG, who noted that "the legal case is now back to 
square one."  (Note: Neither Embassy nor ConGen Dubai has 
been in contact with UAE authorities on this matter.  End 
Note.) 
 
¶5. (C) Comment: This case is instructive for U.S. armed 
forces and coalition personnel who are in the UAE on ship 
visits, deployed, transiting, and training here.  There are 
approximately 1,400 U.S. Air Force personnel assigned here, 
and last year, approximately 77,000 Sailors enjoyed liberty 
while in UAE ports.  Given the Estonian case, it behooves us 
to understand that UAE laws could be applied in criminal 
cases that involve U.S. and/or civilian personnel.  Although 
the current U.S.-UAE Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) 
states that the U.S. retains criminal jurisdiction over all 
DoD personnel, the UAE has the right to enforce local laws 
pertaining to "Special Category of Criminal Acts" such as the 
one under which this soldier was prosecuted.  (Note: The UAE 
maintains the DCA cannot be implemented because it was never 
ratified by each of the seven emirates.  End Note.) End 
Comment. 
SISON