A British tourist who reported that she was gang-raped in Dubai has been charged with having extra-marital sex, according to a non-profit organization based in Britain.
The Detained in Dubai group said that the woman, who is reportedly in her twenties, was arrested when she went to the police and has since been bailed, but her passport has been confiscated and she may have to face trial.
Punishments for the offence range from imprisonment and deportation to flogging and stoning to death, the group says.
“The UAE has a long history of penalizing rape victims,” says Radha Stirling, director of Detained in Dubai.
“We have been involved with several cases in the past where this has happened.”
Stirling added: “Police regularly fail to differentiate between consensual intercourse and violent rape. Victims go to them expecting justice, and end up being prosecuted.”
There are conflicting reports about what happened to the alleged British attackers. Detained in Dubai reported that they have had no charges filed against them and have returned to Britain; the BBC cited reports that the two men have had their passports confiscated and are being supported by the British Foreign Office.
The Foreign Office confirmed they are supporting a British woman in relation to this case and are remaining in contact with her family.
