Detained in DubaiAn 18-year-old Briton faces as much as 20 years in a Dubai jail for having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old British woman whereas the pair had been on vacation within the emirate, a human rights campaigner has stated.
Marcus Fakana, of Tottenham, north London, was on vacation along with his household when he started a secretive vacation romance in September with one other Londoner, who has since turned 18, in line with Radha Stirling, of marketing campaign group Detained in Dubai.
After returning residence and seeing photos and chats, the woman’s mom reported the connection to Dubai police, who then arrested Mr Fakana at his resort, Ms Stirling stated.
The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) London embassy has been requested for remark.
Age distinction ‘so small’
A UK International, Commonwealth and Growth Workplace (FCDO) spokesperson stated: “We’re supporting a British man within the UAE and are involved along with his household.”
Ms Stirling, the founder and chief government of Detained in Dubai, which helps foreigners overseas and is a world authority on UAE legislation, stated Mr Fakana and his mother and father had been “extraordinarily distressed” by the occasions.
She added his mother and father, who work as a cleaner and in a warehouse, “do not know what to do” and have needed to return to London with out their son to renew work.
She stated: “It is a distinctive case in that it is the first one we have delivered to the media the place it is a British citizen and the place the age distinction is so small.”
Ms Stirling continued: “We’re not speaking about any abuse or making the most of anybody.
“That is clearly only a case of two older youngsters, each of them now the identical age, who’ve been caught up as a result of a mom reported the behaviour.”
She added: “This has gone completely viral and folks simply do not suppose it is honest.
“They’re shocked that one thing that’s completely authorized within the UK might warrant 20 years in jail [in Dubai].
“That might damage their their son’s life, the entire household’s lives. Is that price it?”
Detained in Dubai was arrange in 2008 and says it has contacted International Secretary David Lammy, who can also be Mr Fakana’s MP.
‘Usually authorized’
Ms Stirling added: “UAE targets westerners for tourism, gives low-cost flights, takes out costly PR brokers and advertising and marketing in newspapers however there’s little or no warning us about what what can occur to us if we go to Dubai.
“What kind of crimes can we be arrested for? As a result of in case you have a look at the International, Commonwealth and Growth Workplace (FCDO) web site, it is nowhere close to thorough sufficient.”
The FCDO web site steerage states: “Consensual sexual relationships between a female and male exterior marriage are typically authorized so long as each are over the age of 18 years.
“This contains extra-marital sexual relationships.
“If an individual aged 18 or over has a sexual relationship with an individual below 18 years previous, they are going to be prosecuted for having a sexual relationship with a minor.”
