A young British man is in legal trouble in the United Arab Emirates after a romance that started on vacation went horribly wrong.
Marcus Fakana, an 18-year-old from London, traveled with his family to Dubai when he began a secretive sexual relationship in September with a 17-year-old girl — also from London — who was staying at the same hotel.
According to a report from the BBC, the girl’s mother called the Dubai police after finding pictures and text messages on her daughter’s phone when she returned to the United Kingdom. Dubai police then arrested Fakana at his hotel.
“We really liked each other but she was secretive with her family because they were strict,” Fakana told Detained in Dubai, an organization of legal experts who advocate for foreigners experiencing legal issues in the UAE. “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.”
Fakana added that his parents have had to leave him in Dubai since his arrest so they could return to London and work to pay for his legal expenses and the Airbnb he is staying in while out on bail.
“The police demanded 10,000 AED for bail which I’ve been told is not normal and the costs are mounting. I’m here all alone. I pray this nightmare will be over and I’ll be home for Christmas,” he told Detained in Dubai.
Although Fakana’s relationship with the girl, who has since turned 18, would not be illegal in the UK, the laws in Dubai are different. According to the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) website, a consensual sexual relationship in the UAE between two people outside of marriage is only legal if both are over 18 years old. Now, Fakana could face a sentence of 20 years in prison.
“Dubai has only recently legalized out-of-wedlock sex for tourists but still hosts a strict Islamic legal system,” Radha Stirling, Detained in Dubai’s CEO, told The Guardian.
Sterling hopes that by bringing international attention to the case, they will be able to get justice for Marcus Fakana.
“We are not talking about any abuse or taking advantage of anyone,” she told the BBC. “This is clearly just a case of two older teenagers, both of them now the same age, who have been caught up because a mother reported the behavior.”