American jailed in Abu Dhabi after taking photo

ATLANTA — A Georgia man remains in a prison in United Arab Emirates, two weeks after apparently snapping a photograph in a restricted area.
Family and friends of Dr. Robert Alan Black are trying to free the author and lecturer and photographer and former architect, and on Wednesday were able to hire an attorney to help.
According to an account on a Facebook page devoted to his plight, Black, 70, was attending a conference in Abu Dhabi and on Oct. 21, while taking a walk, and taking pictures when he was arrested -- right after he snapped a photo in an area off-limits to photography.
"He is so regretful," said Rosemary Rein, who was at the conference in Abu Dhabi with Black. Rein has been in close contact with Black's family and is acting as their spokeswoman.
"He intended no disrespect" to U.A.E and its laws and customs, Rein said. "He sent a letter to the government expressing his deepest regret."
"Sometimes you can remain in prison for over a year without even being charged," said Radha Stirling, with the organization "DetainedInDubai.org."
The organization documents and monitors and intervenes in cases in the UAE of Westerners such as Black being imprisoned indefinitely for inadvertently breaking the UAE's strict laws against activities that are accepted and commonplace in Western cultures.
"People, for example, holding hands — but if you hold hands with your boyfriends or your husbands, you could be the person who's arrested and detained, and go through a lengthy prison sentence."

Post by Free Dr. Robert Alan Black.

Black has been able to call his daughter in Suwanee, Ga., and his son in Florida.
The U.S. Embassy is trying to intervene and the attorney hired by Black's supporters will try to determine what laws he is accused of breaking, and what it will take to get him home to Georgia.
Supporters around the world are signing an online petition to try to free him and raising money for his legal expenses.