An 18-year-old British teenager, Marcus Fakana, jailed in Dubai for having sex with a 17-year-old girl during a holiday, has been released and is now back in the UK, a campaign group has confirmed.
Fakana from Tottenham in north London was sentenced to a year in prison under the United Arab Emirates’ strict laws prohibiting sexual relations with anyone under the age of 18. His release was secured after Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, granted him a royal pardon, according to the advocacy group Detained in Dubai.
“Marcus is currently recovering,” said Radha Stirling, the group’s chief executive. “His case has attracted significant public attention due to concerns over the criminalisation of tourists and disproportionate sentencing. We believe this highlights the urgent need for faster legal processes for foreign nationals and protections against unnecessary jail terms.”
The incident occurred during a family holiday in the UAE in late August, when Fakana began what the group described as a holiday romance with another teenager from London, who turned 18 the following month. After the pair returned to the UK, the girl’s mother allegedly reported the relationship to the Dubai police after discovering photos and messages.
Fakana was arrested in a hotel
Fakana was arrested at his hotel during a return visit to Dubai and later voluntarily surrendered to authorities in December, intending to serve his sentence in al-Awir prison.
Speaking at the time of his arrest, Stirling expressed concern for the teenager’s well-being. “I worry about the impact of Dubai prison on an 18-year-old’s life,It wasn’t easy to find the words to say to him as he surrendered his freedom.”
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy previously said Fakana would receive full consular support but stressed that Britons abroad must respect local laws. “People need to follow the rules of the countries they visit,” he said in December.
Stirling has been sharply critical of the UK government’s handling of the case, calling the sentence an utter disgrace and accusing ministers of placing trade relations with the UAE above the rights of citizens. “The Labour government should be ashamed they have not secured the freedom of a teenage tourist. It wasn’t a difficult job,” she said.
Fakana, who described the relationship as genuine and mutual, told the campaign group that he and the girl really liked each other and had kept the romance secret from her family because they were strict. He said he was frightened when police came to arrest him.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is yet to comment.
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