A 19 year old Briton, Marcus Fakana who had sex with a 17-year-old girl while on holiday in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is pleading for clemency. The age of consent in the UAE is 18.
According to the BBC, Fakana was sentenced in December to a year’s imprisonment after the act when his mother sighting messages between the two teenagers reported to the authorities.
Fakana has appealed in writing to the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, asking to be released from Al Awir Prison.
Ms Radha Stirling, founder of the NGO, Detained in Dubai said: ‘Heart-breaking start to adulthood. This has been the most traumatic and life-altering experience imaginable for Marcus.
“He is barely an adult himself, and never intended to break any law. What happened was legal in the UK and consensual. But now he is facing permanent damage to his mental health and future prospects because of it.”
Detained in Dubai said Fakana was only able to call his family sporadically for short periods, adding that the isolation had been mentally and emotionally devastating for both him and his loved ones.
His parents have been urgently appealing to Foreign Secretary David Lammy, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the British Embassy in Dubai for assistance in advocating for his release.
“If Marcus could go back in time, he would. He has shown remorse and fully respects the laws of the UAE. He only hopes the government will show compassion and allow him to return home to rebuild his life,” Ms Stirling added.
