The 18-year-old British boy was on holiday with his family in the United Arab Emirates when he met a 17-year-old girl, who was about to turn 18.
But after the girl’s mother discovered their chats and pictures after returning to London, she contacted the police in Dubai. This led to the 18-year-old being arrested at his hotel and later charged with sexual relations with a minor. This is reported by the British The Guardian.
Submitted himself
According to the London-based aid organization Detained in Dubai, the boy has now voluntarily surrendered to the authorities to serve his one-year sentence in al-Awir prison in Dubai.
The aid organization writes on X that the teenager is now hoping for a pardon from the ruler of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, and help from, among others, the British Foreign Minister David Lammy.
“I worry about the impact of the Dubai prison on an 18-year-old,” says Radha Stirling, director of Detained in Dubai.
“A complete disgrace”
Furthermore, she calls the verdict a “complete scandal” and a “shame on Britain”, which prioritizes trade agreements with the country before human lives.
According to the 18-year-old, the couple had kept their ‘holiday romance’ a secret from the girl’s family because they were strict, and had hoped to continue seeing each other in the UK.
Dubai has strict laws regarding drugs, alcohol and sex. If an adult has a sexual relationship with a person under the age of 18, they can be prosecuted for having a sexual relationship with a minor.
“In accordance with UAE law, the girl is classified as a minor, and in accordance with internationally recognized procedures, her mother, who is the guardian, has filed a complaint,” the prosecutor said in a statement.