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An 18-year-old from Great Britain could get up to 20 years in prison in Dubai for having sex with a girl less than a year younger than him.
A short family vacation for Marcus Fakana from London turned into a months-long nightmare after a brief romance with a 17-year-old girl who was staying at the same hotel.
The British government has now been called on to intervene on behalf of the Fakana family, reports the BBC.
The 18-year-old’s ordeal began in September when the girl’s mother noticed photos and conversations on social media of their romance and reported the relationship to the police in Dubai.
The girl has since turned 18, according to the human rights group Detained in Dubai.
Marcus said the couple planned to continue their romance when they returned to the UK.
“We had a great time together. We really liked each other but she was secretive with her (British-Indian) family because they were strict,” said Radhi Stirling, of Detained in Dubai.
“My parents knew about our relationship, but she couldn’t tell hers. She had to meet me without telling them it was to see the boy.”
Marcus was arrested by the police in the hotel where he was staying with his parents.
“They said they were taking me for questioning, but they didn’t want to tell me why,” he said.
“I couldn’t imagine why. I was scared and my parents were terrified.”
They kept him in the notorious Al Barsha police station for three days, unable to make phone calls or speak to his parents.
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The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told the BBC it was supporting the Briton in the United Arab Emirates and was in contact with his family.
Marcus’ parents, who work as warehouse cleaners, were “distressed” by their son’s detention, according to Stirling.
She says the Briton could face up to 20 years in prison because of the country’s strict laws on sex outside of marriage.
“Dubai only recently legalized extramarital sex for tourists, but it still has a strict Islamic legal system,” Stirling said.
“The girl was only a few months younger than Marcus and he didn’t know it at the time. She has turned 18 since he was arrested and Marcus would not be facing 20 years in prison. This is not something Dubai should be prosecuting.”
Marcus and his family call on British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who is also their local MP, to help them.
The teenager is no longer in a police cell, but he cannot leave Dubai.
His family faces bills of £2,000 ($3,900) for Airbnb accommodation until his case is resolved.
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