Western Pair Jailed for Sex in Dubai Taxi

A British woman and Irish man accused of engaging in sexual activities in a Dubai taxi are sentenced to three months in prison as well as deportation. Simon Hanna reports.

Published

6 months ago

Categories

Seriously?, World

Topics

Middle East & North Africa, Seriously?

People

Simon Hanna

Places

United Arab Emirates, Dubai

Transcript

A Dubai court sentences a British woman and an Irish man to three months in jail followed by deportation for breaching the United Arab Emirates' decency laws. The pair are accused of engaging in sexual activities in a Dubai taxi, but both deny the charges of "breach of honour with consent" and committing "an indecent act in a taxi". The lawyer for the defence said he would appeal the verdict. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LAWYER FOR THE DEFENDANTS, SHAKER AL-SHAMMARY: "This is very unjust. I believe the judgement was made very hastily and that it is invalid and contrary to law and the rules of evidence." The case is the latest in which Westerners have fallen foul of the UAE's decency laws. The verdict highlights the country's struggle as it seeks to create a balance between maintaining a Muslim identity and catering for a vibrant tourism industry.