Dubai kissing couple lose appeal

A British couple jailed in Dubai for kissing in public have lost their appeal against their conviction.

Ayman Najafi, 24, and Charlotte Adams, 25, were sentenced to a month in prison with subsequent deportation and fined about £200 for drinking alcohol.

The couple were arrested in November after a local woman accused them of breaking the country's decency laws by kissing on the mouth in a restaurant.

Najafi said he was "very disappointed". The pair plan to make a second appeal.

The initial complaint against them was made by a 38-year-old woman who said she was offended by their behaviour at the Jumeirah Beach Residence, where she was dining with her daughter.

The couple's defence lawyers said the woman - who did not appear in court - had not seen the kiss herself, but had been told by her two-year-old child that the girl had seen the couple kissing.

The defendants also claimed they had merely kissed each other on the cheek, and therefore had not broken any laws.

Quickly dismissed

The BBC's Ben Thompson, at the court, said the judge spoke entirely in Arabic as he quickly dismissed the appeal, saying he upheld the previous sentence.

They were fined 1000 dirhams, which is about £200.

It was left to the defence lawyer to explain the verdict to Najafi and Adams.

I think that the combination of the alleged kissing and the consumption of alcohol in an illegal place, meant that this was a case that the authorities really wanted to pursue

Professor John Strawson
Najafi said after the case: "It's very harsh, based on contradictory evidence. The courts haven't called on any of our witnesses who are prepared to testify that this didn't happen."

The couple decided not to start their sentence immediately, but the Dubai authorities are holding their passports so they are unable to return to Britain.

Professor John Strawson, an expert in Islamic law, told BBC Radio 5 Live he was not surprised by the judge's decision.

He said: "The problem in this particular case is that one of the British citizens is of Muslim origin.

"And I think that the combination of the alleged kissing and the consumption of alcohol in an illegal place, meant that this was a case that the authorities really wanted to pursue, and they are probably sticking to their rigid interpretation of the law."

Professor Strawson said the Dubai authorities often turned a blind eye to foreigners' behaviour, because of the high income that comes from tourists.

But he said Dubai had recently issued new explanations tightening up their laws.

Sexy texts

The Foreign Office advises Britons going to Dubai, which is part of the United Arab Emirates, to be wary of breaching local customs.

A statement on the its travel advice website reads: "Britons can find themselves facing charges relating to cultural differences, such as using bad language, rude gestures or public displays of affection."

Najafi, from north London, had been working for marketing firm Hay Group in Dubai for about 18 months.

The case is the latest in a series of incidents over recent years in which foreigners have broken Dubai's strict decency laws.

In March, an Indian couple in their 40s were sentenced to three months in jail in Dubai after sending each other sexually explicit text messages.

In 2008, two Britons accused of having sex on a beach in Dubai were sentenced to three months in jail, though the sentences were later suspended.



- It's really difficult to imagine living in an area with such strict laws. For the couple from Britain, kissing and drinking in public must have been something so normal for them that they didn't think twice about it. It seems a bit too sheltered that this is against the law, and that a woman was "offended" because her daughter saw it, but at the same time, you have to respect the customs of a foreign land. Especially since there is fair warning on travel sites, the couple should have known better. However, if what they're saying is true, and it never happened, then the judge is being extremely unfair in terms of the sentencing. He didn't even bother listening to their appeal or witnesses, which is wrong. I can respect the laws in Dubai, but I cannot respect an unfair justice system. Have your laws, but uphold them correctly.