Kissing in Public in Dubai = 1 Month in Jail

If you love your freedom, don't kiss your mate in public - that's the lesson a British couple learned the hard way in Dubai, where they were sentenced to 1 month in jail for public indecency:

Ayman Najafi, 24, and Charlotte Adams, 25, were sentenced to a month in prison with subsequent deportation and fined about £200 for drinking alcohol.

The pair were arrested in November after a local woman accused them of breaking the country's decency laws by kissing on the mouth in a restaurant.

The initial complaint against them was made by a 38-year-old woman who said she was offended by their behaviour at the Jumeirah Beach Residence, where she was dining with her daughter.

The pair's defence lawyers said the woman - who did not appear in court - had not seen the kiss herself, but had been told by her two-year-old child that the girl had seen them kissing.

Link


When in Rome...

If you don't want to land in jail, don't break the local rules. You might not like them, they might seem odd or bizarre, but they're the rules.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Something else is going on here. I bet were not getting the whole story. Either they are not a couple, or they did something else while they were there.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
I agree with both of the above. Contrary to what the defense is trying to potray, I believe it was a lot more than simple kissing. The tipsy two were probably snogging the daylights out of each other. I find that highly distasteful in a public restaurant with kids in MY country, never mind Dubai.

I find it highly doubtful that even the local Dubai authorities would find it distasteful if two couples gave simple kisses on the cheek and whatnot, especially if it were a foreign couple.

And it's their country and rules, who are we to judget it.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
A lesson for us all, certainly. Obey the local rules. If you don't know the rules, and especially the more culturally primitive and/or politically authoritarian the country is, conduct yourself with the utmost discretion.

Since I am not a cultural relativist, though, I cheerfully am free to judge and condemn the harsh and rigid rules, mores, and laws of such morally, culturally, and politically backward places like Dubai. These backwards countries can never really be safely traveled, no matter how careful one may be.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Rule #1: - don't be a tourist in countries still living in the stone age, and above all, avoid places that are governed by the ruling mythology instead of a real government.

Spend your money in smart, civil, friendly, modern, countries with a real justice system (not based on 2 year old witnesses) and fair penalties for actual crimes not imagined moral issues.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
why go there? I think we should not visit places where the things we wish to do contravenes their laws and similarly we should uphold our own. Make sure they are not allowed to do the things they think the're entitled to in our countries. Speaks of respect for each other's laws and customs.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
So Vonskippy that means that one does not want to visit countries like the US where you get fines for crossing the streets by foot without minding the traffic lights. Where you can get sued for millions of dollars if you say the wrong things to the wrong people. Where you get handcuffed and thrown in jail if you are not fast enough in abeying state troopers and so on...?
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Dubai is in the financial mire. It is being rescued by Abu Dhabi money. Abu Dhabi is very conservative and they told Dubai to clean its act as part of the rescue package.

That's why the foreign couple got jailed and why everyone knows about it. To be seen to be doing the right thing.

I live in Oman. I can't kiss my wife on the cheek here either.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Wow... straight people getting a feel for how LGBT must feel in most of the religiously backwards conservative USA for benign public displays of affection. Welcome to their world.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Respect the countries rule people. I come from Amsterdam, so when I travel to the states should I just go to a coffee shop and light one up? I didnt think so. This shouldnt even be news worthy
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
I just love Dubai ...rule is rule guys and for those who are against what happened this is way much more than spilling a student out of school or college just for wearing scarf on her head!! why do you describe this as justice and what happened in Dubai is something from rocks ages!
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
I would direct anyone who thinks Dubai is harsh to the next story down about the girl who drew on her desk in NEW YORK. I'm not saying their laws aren't screwed up, just that so are everyone else's. There are plenty of places in the states where you can still get fined for spitting.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
@Foreigner1

What a dumb comparison. Site one reference where that has happened to a tourist in the States.

And we're not talking about a fine - we're talking about a MONTH in jail.

I'm amazed at all the apologists chiming in for these stone age thugs. It's the 21st century folks - catch up.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
First of all, just because something is different or unusual does NOT mean that it's from the "stone age" or "backwards." Aside from that, I think that it's absolutely ridiculous that a COUPLE was arrested for showing their AFFECTION. Last time I checked love was not a bad thing.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
The reason this was published was to make an example of this couple and their actions in "we are now a modern city cause we have big shiny buildings" Dubai.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
THat is why we need to nuke Dubai, they are terrorists that FUNDED the 9/11 hijackers.

They are evil and arabs and muslims all need to burn in hell because Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Vonskippy here in Europe we have complete shows that are just filled filled with car-cam recordings from the cop-cars that show such arrests and busts by US-cops that to us Europeans are completely uncomprehensible, unfathomable and downright mad.

Dhubai isn't by far the only "stone-age" country where they arrest people for touching between male and female in public- About the whole of the Muslim world has that.

They on the other hand consider most Western countries completely and fully out of control De-civilized / Degenerated / Sodom and Gomorrah / Babylon / Stone-Age because we accept open drunkennness, open nudity, touching and so on.

They do not think that love is a bad thing- they only have strict ideas on how to behave civilized and not offending others by things as public touching in public.

If you do not want to conform- Just do not visit. It isn't like there's no way to know this in advance.

If you know your friend or your grandma or who-ever does not like you using faul language and taking in dirt into their houses or into the church or whatever- you do the polite thing: You take off your dirty shoes before you enter the house and you mind your tonge. Otherwise you do not pay that visit. And if you by accident make a mistake and they correct you on your mistakes- you will have the desency to apologise and to accept the correction, otherwise you leave.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Dubai wants to be this glorious new tourist mecca. Why would anyone want to visit a place that puts you in jail for a kiss. I understand, "When in Rome..." but if you want to attract visitors from all walks of life, then you should practice some tolerance. Anyways, that oil money is dried up already. They are just accelerating their demise. That place is going to be the most expensive ghost town in the world.

Anyways. Have fun with your religious "law." Seems to be working out well for those middle east countries. Nothing but masses of blind sheep.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
'obama' you need to quit being a racist looser. thats there belief and there rules in that country, so if you cannot obey these rules then dont go to the country , its simple
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
No need for you all to argue. Don't you think its at least odd to not have the woman who reported in the court? Where do you hear about a "FAIR "trial in court where one of the parts is missing?
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
I understand that the laws abroad may be divers from the ones we follow here in Canada. But I refuse to believe that as tourists we would have to be subjected to such outrageous laws (kissing in public, i mean seriously close your eyes). Funny though, when tourists from Dubai or any other middle eastern country comes here to the home of the free they do not feel the need to follow our laws, can anyone tell me why that is? I believe in equality and freedom of religion and all that, but this is ridiculous to jail a couple for loving each other in public, Its ok if we just do not go to Dubai or Abu dhabi maybe then with the lack of income would the honourable nation realize how important we law braking tourists are! (the oil well will find its end one day)!
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Fucking backwards country. I'm so glad that soon enough they will run out of oil and have nothing left to offer the world except an arse-backwards society.

Seriously. Muslims wonder why the world hates them. This is one example of why. Forget terrorism. Lets sort out these rules they apply to foreigners (why aren't we allowed to impose our social rules on muslims in England?) and their whole stoning of rape victims.

Honestly if that country was wiped off the map I wouldn't care, so long as the innocent people who don't want to impose such rules survive elsewhere.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Login to comment.
Click here to access all of this post's 32 comments




Email This Post to a Friend
"Kissing in Public in Dubai = 1 Month in Jail"

Separate multiple emails with a comma. Limit 5.

 

Success! Your email has been sent!

close window
X

This website uses cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using this website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

I agree
 
Learn More