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Britons facing jail in Dubai for 'kiss on the cheek'
15 Mar 2010A British pair due to appear in court accused of kissing in public will have to wait until next month to learn their fate after their appeal hearing was postponed.
Ayman Najafi, 24, was set to appear in a Dubai court yesterday alongside a 25-year-old tourist, named in reports as Charlotte Adams, to appeal against a one-month prison sentence.
In a phone call to his distraught mother, Mr Najafi said: "I haven't done anything wrong, mum, hopefully I will clear my name and then I can come back."
A court has now set the appeal hearing for April 4.
They were allegedly seen kissing on the mouth in a restaurant, breaching Dubai's strict decency laws.
They were arrested by police in November last year and appeared in court last week.
According to reports, a judge at Dubai's Misdemeanours Court heard written evidence from the 38-year-old mother who initially complained to police.
She said she was offended by their behaviour at the Jumeirah Beach Residence, where she was dining with her daughter.
The judge dismissed Mr Najafi's claim that he had merely kissed the woman on the cheek and sentenced both defendants to a month in jail followed by deportation.
The Britons were bailed pending their appeal against the sentence.
It is understood the Dubai authorities are holding their passports so that they cannot leave the country.
Mr Najafi has been working for marketing firm Hay Group in Dubai for about 18 months.
Speaking from the family home in Palmers Green, north London, his mother Maida Najafi said: "My Ayman is a good boy, he's very wise and mature. I can't believe it.
"He said, 'I haven't done anything wrong mum, hopefully I will clear my name and then I can come back'."
Reader views (15)
If the global community, economy and society is to succeed, we all have to accept the differences in others. If one fails to allow freedom to another, a global society is doomed to fail.
- Dish, South Boston, 16/03/2010 16:52
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When Muslim women go to France they criticized for wearing veils and when Muslim men go to the US they are told they have to go through special security screenings. When Muslims complain, they are told that they are visitors in foreign countries and should either learn to accept foreign laws or leave. Why shouldn't the same apply to Westerners in Muslim nations?
- Jimmy, Anchorage, Alaska, USA, 16/03/2010 08:11
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I find this story rather interesting in Chinese and Russian prostitutes are common amongst the night club scene in Dubai. Of course these clubs are generally owned by influential locals who reap enormous profit.
- Paul, Tampa, Fl USA, 16/03/2010 03:34
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the irony of this story and dubai in general is it is beset by shocking double standards .. all the hotels have little whore houses tucked away next to them in the giuse of "nightclubs" .. they are full of girls from al over the world selling sex and stuffed full of local guys paying for them.
- Scott, london, 16/03/2010 00:30
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It is the choice of the ex-patriot to understand and obey the rules and laws of middle east or face issues. Laws are laws, whether we feel they are right or wrong. This can be applied to any country. As for the quality of Dubai, some of the most beautiful architecture and best food in the world. I lived for 1 year.
Thanks and VISIT DUBAI!!
- Shaun Knops, phoenix, arizona, USA, 15/03/2010 21:02
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why do people go on holiday to these medieval places ? In twenty years Sharia Law will have banned kissing in Britain.
- Squiz, Islington, 15/03/2010 19:48
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Time travel exists! Just get on a plane to Dubai and fly back to the middle ages.
- Gary, London, 15/03/2010 19:21
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Why oh why do we treat these primitive repressive countries as equals?
- Casper Slides, London, 15/03/2010 17:36
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Coming soon to a country VERY near you!
- Trunk, US, 15/03/2010 17:04
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I wonder if they are coming down heavily on this pair as one of them (the man) is a Muslim, who is expected to obey sharia law?
- Sue R, London, 15/03/2010 16:01
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It is against local customs to kiss in public, what is so difficult to understand about that. There are certain types of behaviour that remain unacceptable in the UK that remain common in other cultures. You would not expect an African woman to bare her breasts in public in London for example. We cannot expect people to change their rules to accommodate us. I have spent in excess of 4 years in the Middle East and have never ever had any problem. It is far from a backwards culture, just different to our and deserves our respect when we are there.
- Jane Bewick, London, 15/03/2010 15:13
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Just don't go to Dubai. It's not for us.
- Eastender, London, 15/03/2010 11:52
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I have no idea why anyone would want to go to this backward, living in the middle ages location.
Modern city yes, modern thinking No...
- Mark, St Albans, 15/03/2010 11:36
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I agree with this law, kissing in public should be a punishable offence, its disgusting
- F.Luke, London, UK, 15/03/2010 10:31
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Anyone considering going to Dubai now has to take some of the more recent stories seriously. Especially unmarried couples with kids and honeymooning.
People forget how close and how influenced Dubai can be by its less tolerant neighbours such as Saudi. In a time of economic uncertainty this clamp down on immoral westerners was always going to happen, but they are now stupidly allowing the police force to dig a grave for their tourist industry.
- Hansel, London, 15/03/2010 09:26
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