The seizing of an Iowa school scholar’s passport whereas underneath investigation within the Dominican Republic is a cautionary story for People touring overseas, who an skilled mentioned needs to be vigilant about defending their journey paperwork.
Final month, 22-year-old Joshua Riibe’s passport and cellular phone have been confiscated as investigators tried to piece collectively lacking spring breaker Sudiksha Konanki’s closing moments. Lodge surveillance footage revealed Riibe was among the many final folks to see Konanki alive earlier than the College of Pittsburgh scholar disappeared on a Punta Cana seashore after an evening of ingesting with associates.
After Konanki’s disappearance, Riibe, who authorities mentioned was by no means a suspect, was holed up contained in the Riu Republica Lodge underneath the watch of native authorities.
Riibe, a scholar at St. Cloud State College in Minnesota, remained within the Dominican Republic, unable to journey again to America, for about two weeks earlier than he was capable of head residence.
The high-profile debacle got here to a head inside a Dominican courtroom, as Riibe sat alongside his father and a translator whereas legal professionals argued over the situations of Riibe’s lodge room detainment. The difficulty surrounding the return of Riibe’s passport was scheduled for a later date, doubtlessly forcing Riibe to stay within the nation for a second court docket look.
“Ever since my passport was taken, it’s very uncommon I’m alone,” Riibe testified earlier than a Dominican decide. He later added, “I can’t go wherever. I actually need to be residence. Hug my household and associates.”
Whereas Riibe’s legal professionals had mentioned his passport was confiscated, prosecutors argued that he misplaced it.
Following the preliminary court docket proceedings, Riibe was capable of get hold of a provisional passport from the U.S. Consulate within the Dominican Republic.
On March 19, Riibe boarded a JetBlue flight from Santo Domingo to San Juan, Puerto Rico, marking the top of his nightmare overseas. Nonetheless, Riibe’s escape hit a short snag when he was held in Puerto Rico over the brand new passport not being correctly stamped, NotiCentro reported.
Final week, a Dominican decide dominated to formally shut Riibe’s case, granting the habeas corpus movement filed on behalf of the important thing witness.
“On March 18th, following the conclusion of the habeas corpus listening to that ordered the discharge of our shopper, Joshua Riibe, the Prosecutor’s Workplace of La Altagracia knowledgeable him of their readiness to return his passport,” Riibe’s attorneys mentioned. “Whereas Joshua appreciated this determination, he selected, for privateness causes, to use for a brand new passport on the U.S. Consulate, which was promptly issued.”
Though Riibe was capable of get hold of a alternative passport and subsequently return residence, his expertise serves as a warning for People who could also be requested handy over their passport for a mess of causes whereas overseas.
Vacationers could possibly be requested to forfeit their passport or different figuring out paperwork by overseas legislation enforcement or as collateral whereas having fun with an tour, based on Kate Gladdin, an skilled in worldwide journey security.
“The truth is there are some dangerous fruits on the market that see vacationers and might in a short time get [them] in a susceptible place as a result of they don’t have their authorities,” Gladdin instructed Fox Information Digital.
“One factor I can say, flat out, is to by no means hand your passport over as a type of deposit, ever,” Gladdin mentioned. “There are tales the place they’re like, ‘Oh, you need to rent this jet ski? OK, we will take your passport simply as a deposit that you simply’ll come again.’ Don’t [do it]. Put it in your protected and go away it there till [the end of your trip].”
The danger of forfeiting figuring out paperwork is a matter that hits near residence for Gladdin.
In 2012, Gladdin’s sister, Nicole Fitzsimons, was killed in a bike accident whereas vacationing in Thailand together with her boyfriend, Jamie Keith.
Fitzsimons, 24, was driving on the again of the bike when a driver driving on the mistaken facet of the highway careened into the couple’s automobile.
“She [was rushed] into surgical procedure,” Gladdin instructed Fox Information Digital. “We had all our hearts and toes and fingers crossed that she was going to be OK, however sadly, we did lose her in that surgical procedure.”
However Fitzsimons’s demise wasn’t the top of the nightmare for the grieving household.
Keith’s Australian passport was seized by Thai authorities, in the end barring him from leaving because the investigation remained ongoing.
“Sadly, the police tried to see it in another way and put us in a very uncomfortable, arduous and difficult state of affairs the place they took Jamie’s passport,” Gladdin mentioned. “There was no justice in Nicole’s demise.”
Gladdin additionally suggests vacationers carry copies of their identification paperwork within the occasion their belongings are misplaced or stolen.
“Each nation is completely different,” Gladdin mentioned. “It’s a must to take your security into your individual palms as a result of the principles won’t at all times be there. However with out these guidelines, we’re with out safety.”
The household’s struggle to convey Keith residence, whereas additionally grappling with the demise of Fitzsimons, led Gladdin down a path of educating dad and mom how you can instill journey security habits of their households.
Observe the newest on the seek for lacking Pitt scholar Sudiksha Konanki:
“Journey is without doubt one of the most eye-opening issues we will do,” Gladdin mentioned. “However assist them make educated selections. I’m not in opposition to journey, however I’m for educated journey.”
Gladdin additionally factors dad and mom towards federal sources aimed toward holding People protected whereas touring overseas. The State Division’s Good Traveler Enrollment Program offers vacationers with the chance to register their journeys with the federal government, within the occasion one thing goes mistaken.
“[Officials] can rapidly replace and get in touch with you concerning any security or safety info – whether or not it’s like an impending cyclone or a terrorist risk – that they should get you out of a rustic rapidly in the event that they know you’re there,” Gladdin mentioned.
Fox Information Digital reached out to the State Division for remark.
Gladdin’s ardour for journey security and educating dad and mom was born from tragedy, however she insists it doesn’t should be that manner for different households.
“Mendacity on the ground of my sister’s closet, selecting out her funeral costume reasonably than serving to to decide on her wedding ceremony costume – there aren’t any positives in that,” Gladdin instructed Fox Information Digital. “I believe discovering function in what you’re going via, [by] leaning in direction of issues which are surrounding you and [finding] what you are able to do to assist clear up them. My household created a function in Nicole’s demise by trying on the downside of journey security and doing no matter we may to unravel it.”
