
Marcus Fakana, from Tottenham, was on a family vacation in Dubai when he met a 17-year-old British girl from London, who has since turned 18, The Guardian reports. The pair had hoped to continue their relationship once she returned to London. However, Fakana claims he was taken into custody without explanation when police arrived at his family’s hotel.
“We really liked each other, but she was secretive with her family because they were strict,” he told Detained in Dubai. “My parents knew about our relationship, but she couldn’t tell hers. She had to meet me without telling them it was to see a boy.”
“Dubai has only recently legalized out-of-wedlock sex for tourists but still hosts a strict Islamic legal system,” said Radha Stirling, the chief executive of Detained in Dubai.
Sex outside of marriage is legal for tourists in the UAE, but only if both parties are over 18.
“The girl was just a few months younger than Marcus, and he didn’t know that at the time,” Stirling said. “Since his arrest, she has turned 18. This is not something Dubai should be prosecuting.”
“[My family] saved up for this one-off holiday and have now used all of their savings,” Fakana said.
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Source: Black Enterprise