Marcus Fakana, an 18-year-old British teen, was sentenced to one year of jail time for having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old British girl in Dubai, according to the BBC.
While on vacation with his family in the UAE, Fakana spent time and allegedly had sex with the unnamed girl who was also on holiday with her family.
The girl’s mother did not discover the relationship until her family returned home to London. The mother alerted Dubai Police after finding text messages and photos documenting the teens’ time together.
The UAE government has detained Fakana since September, as it is illegal to have sex with any person under the age of 18. Fakana believes he has been “abandoned by the British government,” according to Detained In Dubai.
Detained in Dubai is a campaign organization dedicated to helping foreigners arrested and detained due to the country’s strict laws. Radha Stirling, the founder and chief executive of Detained in Dubai, believes the punishment is excessive and does not fit the crime.
“A custodial sentence for consensual sex with two people — tourists who were only supposed to be there for a short time — does not warrant a year in jail, doesn’t warrant tearing this family apart and ruining this young 18-year-old’s life.”
The campaign organization, which includes experts in foreign law, believes Fakana’s counsel was ineffective and mishandled the initial aspects of the case. Lawyers for Fakana are seeking an appeal. They hope the young man can be charged with a lesser offense.
“[Marcus] was desperately hoping to come home this week, but prosecutorial mishandling in the first stages of the case meant it wasn’t heard as a misdemeanor when it should have been,” Stirling said.
Earlier this year, a Black couple was subject to harsh consequences after violating UAE law. A Gambian woman and a Nigerian man were convicted of smuggling marijuana into the country and sentenced to life in prison, according to KhaleejTimes.
On Jan. 2, the couple was detained at the Dubai International Airport, where 4,290.86 grams of marijuana was uncovered during a customs screening. After a thorough investigation, where authorities examined phone records and forensics and conducted drug screening, the courts ruled against the couple. Both claimed to have no knowledge of the drugs in their luggage, but the courts found the argument “implausible.” The defendants were sentenced on Nov. 28. If the couple is released, they will be deported to their country of origin.
RELATED CONTENT: U.S. Navy Veteran Facing 3 Years In Dubai Prison For Traveling With Prescription Drugs
