Marcus Fakana, 18-Year-Old Jailed In Dubai For Having Consensual sex w/ 17-Year-Old While On Vacation, Has Been Released After Being Granted A Pardon

Marcus Fakana, 18-Year-Old Jailed In Dubai For Having Consensual sex w/ 17-Year-Old While On Vacation, Has Been Released After Being Granted A Pardon

A 19-year-old from London has been reunited with his family after spending an extended time behind bars in Dubai.

According to campaign group Detained in Dubai, after serving six months, Marcus Fakana received a royal pardon from Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. As reported, when he was 18, Fakana had consensual intercourse with a fellow British teen, who was 17 at the time, while they both were visiting the UAE on vacation. The girl’s mother found text between the teens and reported Fakana to the authorities. The age of consent in the country is 18. In December, Fakana was sentenced to one year in Dubai’s Al-Awir prison.

 

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A spokesperson for Detained in Dubai released a statement on Fakana’s well-being and said he “is currently recovering.” They also expressed that Fakana was unaware that the girl was 17, as they “were in the same school year and it seems fair and reasonable that he assumed her to be 18 as well. So I think again under those circumstances he shouldn’t have been prosecuted.”

They added:

“His case has attracted significant public attention due to concerns about the criminalisation of tourists and disproportionate sentencing. We believe this case highlights the urgent need for expedited legal processes for foreign nationals and safeguards against unnecessary custodial sentences.”

While his family celebrates his return, the controversy surrounding Fakana’s case continues to spark debate.

Thoughts? 

[VIA]