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A British teenager, 18, has been sentenced to one year in prison in Dubai for having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl from the UK while on holiday with their families. The pair, from London, started their secret romance in September.
However, the girl’s mother discovered the relationship upon returning home and reported it to Dubai police, leading to Marcus Fakana’s arrest at his hotel. Under UAE law, sex with someone under 18 is illegal.
Detained in Dubai, an organization that helps foreigners abroad and provides guidance on UAE law, has called the sentence “utterly disproportionate” and said Fakana will appeal. They also claimed that Fakana feels “abandoned” by the British government.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office stated they are supporting a British man in the UAE and are in contact with his family. The Dubai Public Prosecutor’s office has not commented on the case.
Radha Stirling, founder and CEO of Detained in Dubai, expressed concerns about the case, saying Fakana has been unable to leave the country since September and is “desperately hoping” to return home this week. She also stated that prosecutorial errors in the initial stages of the case meant that Fakana was not treated as a minor offender.
Fakana’s family has issued a plea to Dubai’s ruler, HH Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, to spare him for having consensual sex with another British citizen. After serving his sentence, Fakana will be deported.
