DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Sept. 2, 2008
Dubai Beach Sex Pair Seek Quickie Trial
British Couple Charged With Having Sex Outside Of Marriage; Face Up To Two Years In Prison
-
Fast Facts
United Arab Emirates
Learn about the people, economy and history.
Michelle Palmer and Vince Acors, speaking in low voices, asked the judge for a "quick ruling" that would let them return to Britain. But judge Hamad Abdul Jawad disregarded the request and scheduled another hearing for Sept. 9 to hear testimony from the policeman who arrested the couple.
Palmer, 36, and Acors, 34, were arrested in the early hours July 5 on a Dubai beach after they had been at a hotel party. They were later charged with having sex outside of marriage, public indecency and public drunkenness.
The case has highlighted the strong contrasts in the booming United Arab Emirates, particularly Dubai. The city has a much more freewheeling attitude than other places in the Gulf, with cash flowing from oil and finance and a huge expatriate population. But the case is a reminder that it remains a conservative Arab nation underneath.
Legal experts say the couple could face up to two years in prison if convicted. The case raised a media storm here, and partway through Tuesday's session the judge ordered journalists out of the courtroom.
"I hope they will not get any penalty, God willing," the couple's Dubai-based lawyer, Hassan Matter, told The Associated Press after the session.
He said medical examinations of Palmer after the arrest "prove she did not have sex," though he did not elaborate. He also dismissed one witness who told the court he saw the couple having sex, saying the witness was far away and it was nighttime.
Palmer, a former employee of a Dubai-based publishing firm, told the court during an August session that she and Acors, a tourist visiting Dubai, were "hugging and kissing" but did not have sex.
Public display of affection, such as touching, kissing or hugging, is illegal in Dubai and couples - particularly if not married - can be detained by police for indecency.
In July, a few days after the British couple was detained, Dubai police announced it has arrested 79 people, mostly tourists, for topless sunbathing, nudity and other acts authorities deemed indecent.
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.



- 1
- 2
- next
See all 90 CommentsWhy didn''t we bomb them back to the beginning of time they were to blame not Iraq.
Your an idiot!
Thank you. Your compliment, apparently coming from a right wing supporter of the "blue nose" agenda, is appreciated.
Actually we do have such laws here, this is why it is amusing to read the neocons'' spin, as they are exactly the same.
We are only lucky that most law enforcement have more important matters that require their attention.
How come Cheney can go to Dubai, get drunk and fondle little Arab boys and get away with it?
you should have stuck your cab fare to the bottom of your shoe. "...here ya go buddy"
Posted by gop_forever at 01:13 PM : Sep 02, 2008
_______________________
Yeah and then we could pass the information along to all the properly sexed conservatives like Bristol Palin. I just hope sanctimonious, self-righteous idiots such as yourself will continue to bless us with your moral fortitude.
If I were driving your cab I wouldn''t want to see you kiss your husband either.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by jetlizhan at 02:19 PM : Sep 02, 2008
+ report abuse
But the thing is this couple broke the law of the country they were in. if someone from another country came here broke a law that was not illegal in his country we would still want him to serve the punishment for the crime, would we not?
I have zero sympathy for these two who allegedly were caught enflagrante delicto by police.
Everyone who travels to that part of the world gets an advance warning about the draconian laws, and the necessity to obey the local customs and laws.
Simply drinking alcohol in many predominately%u2013Muslim nations would be enough to warrant a public beating by a Sharia Gestapo/Sheriff.
She was working for a Dubai company and surely must have known something about the crazy Muslim laws.
By the way, in England there is a move afoot to allow Sharia Law, due to the very high number of Muslims immigrating to England.
The United States needs to come up with very strict laws to deal with Sharia Law adherents. Beatings, honor killings, etc., have no place in our society.
Foreign%u2013born Muslim cab drivers in the U.S. need to realize they are here, not there; and, they must obey our laws and customs, not theirs, regardless of the religious aspects.
Posted by proisrael at 02:24 PM : Sep 02, 2008
none of your examples have been someone trying to shove his beliefs down your throat. one guy was defensive about being Muslim. the other guy was commenting on how dumb America is for watching reality TV. (I have made that comment more than once)
posted by proisrael at 02:16 PM : Sep 02, 2008
If we don''t grant them those rights our Constitution means nothing
I don''t like that towel wrapped around your head either, but it''s not against the law...neither is kissing someone in public...so deal with it.
British Couple Charged With Having *** Outside Of Marriage; Face Up To Two Years In Prison
The people have no proof that this couple were ''having sexx'' especially as the witness that stated such was dismissed because he was too far away to see and it was too dark for him to have seen anyway. How in the Hades can theyy charge them with having sexx in this case? What a bunch of crapola! More than enough reason to stay away from any country that has Muslim rule.
This is why religious fundamentalists of all flavors must be kept away from government and lawmaking.
Fyi Dubai, time to grow up.
Its not our Custom and if you live in the USA you need to Conform. Fair is Fair.
As far as your comment: "If Dubai wants to hid behind conservative Arab morals and values then England, France, Germany and the United States should not allow Arab and Muslum people to wear head scarves and cover up"
I can''t speak about other countries...but, in the United States, which is where i live...the constitution guarantees freedom of religion. Therefore, if our country guarantees that right to its people, then, we as a country should uphold that right. France, by taking away the right of Muslim school girls to wear a scarf (hijab) to school has taken away a basic human and fundamental right from these girls to practice their religion as they see fit. They are French citizens...many of them being born and raised in that country. How can a country betray its own citizens? I just hope and pray that our country, the U.S., is not swept away in the same xenophobia. And I hope yours is an opinion that occurs in the minority. God Bless.
As far as your comment: "If Dubai wants to hid behind conservative Arab morals and values then England, France, Germany and the United States should not allow Arab and Muslum people to wear head scarves and cover up"
I can''''t speak about other countries...but, in the United States, which is where i live...the constitution guarantees freedom of religion. Therefore, if our country guarantees that right to its people, then, we as a country should uphold that right. France, by taking away the right of Muslim school girls to wear a scarf (hijab) to school has taken away a basic human and fundamental right from these girls to practice their religion as they see fit. They are French citizens...many of them being born and raised in that country. How can a country betray its own citizens? I just hope and pray that our country, the U.S., is not swept away in the same xenophobia. And I hope yours is an opinion that occurs in the minority. God Bless.
Posted by crescentgirl at 04:40 PM : Sep 02, 2008
+ report abuse
That is a hope I share with you.
Posted by andor3 at 04:09 PM : Sep 02, 2008
Seventy-three now...inflation.
You Christian heads are not much better either.
It happens all the time. It is tolerated here--it is part of the American tradition and courtship. We are talking about public display of affection--there is no credible evidence more happened here. Kissing on a beach after a party, something like that.
It happens all the time. It is tolerated here--it is part of the American tradition and courtship. We are talking about public display of affection--there is no credible evidence more happened here. Kissing on a beach after a party, something like that.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by andor3 at 05:28 PM : Sep 02, 2008
The worst thing about these laws is that they are Gender-based discrimination, which is violation of human rights.
In our state, it is legally allowed for a man to jog on the street completely TOPLESS. If a woman committs same action, she may be prosecuted in the name of INDECENT EXPOSURE. The same action totally decent for a man because of being a man is considered so indecent for a woman, just because of being a woman, that she may be thrown into jail.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by walkshe at 05:34 PM : Sep 02, 2008
+ report abuse
*********************************
I agree. Although I am not religious and strongly support separation, I think any child should be able to wear a religious symbol. That child has no power over anyone and is not setting policy. I don''t give a p o o p if someone is offended. I am tired of trying, by law, to prevent anyone from being offended. If you are offended by something, get away from it.
- 1
- 2
- next
See all 90 Comments