Beach in Dubai
Visiting Dubai can be a perilous business, as Jamie Harron, a
Briton arrested for public indecency three months ago, has discovered.
According to him, it was a pure misunderstanding: he put his hand on
someone to avoid spilling his drink whilst he squeezed through a crowded
bar.But the furious complaint of the other man was enough for Harron to
join the long list of travellers who have fallen foul of the laws and
customs of a city, that for all its glitzy cosmopolitanism, is a fairly
conservative, Muslim state.
Although out of jail, Harron has not been allowed to leave Dubai
and has run up hefty legal bills. His appalled parents have urged other
tourists to avoid the city. That seems unnecessary given almost 10m
travellers visited the emirate last year without any problems. But it is
wise to keep a few things in mind before you book your ticket.
Pack carefully
Importing porn, pork and drugs can get you into serious trouble. In
2007 a Japanese engineer suffered the indignity of being arrested at
Dubai airport after customs officials found 77 pornographic DVDs in his
luggage. The same year DJ Raymond Bingham – AKA Grooverider – was
sentenced to four years in prison for having a few forgotten grams of
cannabis in a pair of trousers. He served a portion of his jail term
before receiving a special pardon.
Even prescription drugs and painkillers can land travellers in
trouble. In 2014, a 16-year-old Indian boy was arrested for carrying
half a kilo of poppy seeds which his mother intended to cook with.
Dress appropriately
Women are expected to dress modestly in public, with arms and legs
fully covered. Shopping malls will often broadcast announcements
reminding people of the dress code, which is heavily enforced. Swimwear
is acceptable only on beaches and at hotel pools, and topless sunbathing
is forbidden – 79 people were arrested for it during a 2008 crackdown
on the country’s beaches.
Men should also watch their wardrobe: in 2008 police arrested 40 “cross-dressing tourists”, according to the Gulf News.
Don't eat in public
It is forbidden to eat or drink in public during the daylight hours
of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, regardless of whether or not you
are Muslim. At least one foreign couple has been fined for slurping
juice at a petrol station. However, the rules are usually bent at
hotels: during Ramadan they will often screen off their restaurants so
foreign guests can eat without upsetting anyone.
Get married
By law, only married couples are allowed to have sex, or even share
a bed, in Dubai. In practice, hotels do not ask for proof of your
relationship when you check in with your partner. However, the
authorities do take the matter seriously. Appallingly, in 2016 a British
woman was arrested for having extra-marital sex after reporting to
police that she had been raped by a group of men.
Beware who you tell if you're gay
Dubai’s authorities are not in the business of searching for gay
tourists to arrest, even though homosexual sex is illegal. Campaign
group Detained in Dubai says there is a “vibrant underground gay scene
in Dubai”, but it advises discretion. “Although one should never have to
hide who they are, it’s the only way to travel safely in the UAE if you
are gay,” it says.
Avoid PDAs
Kissing and holding hands in public is considered to be
“inappropriate behaviour”, according to guidelines published by the
government (which also warned against playing loud music and dancing).
In 2005 a British couple received a one-month jail sentence for kissing
in a restaurant after a local woman complained.
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