The family of a young British man facing a 20-year jail sentence in Dubai over a holiday romance have warned that his mental health is declining and they are all living in a “nightmare".
Marcus Fakana, an 18-year-old from Tottenham in north London, was on holiday with his parents when he met a 17-yearold girl who has since turned 18.
Campaign group Detained in Dubai said that after having sex, the teenagers, who were staying at the same hotel, discussed carrying on with their “blossoming” teenage romance when they came back to London.
The parents of the girl, who was a minor under United Arab Emirates (UAE) law, looked through her phone and reported Mr Fakana to the police after they arrived home from their trip, the organisation said.
Mr Fakana’s family said he is “very scared”. Dubai’s office of public prosecutions told the BBC his trial will take place on 9 December. The family have set up a GoFundMe to raise money for Mr Fakana’s legal costs, explaining they went to the UAE to celebrate his father’s birthday.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 24, 2024 من The Independent.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 24, 2024 من The Independent.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
'Last thing I saw was that half of Syria was liberated'
Former Olympic swimmer Yusra Mardini speaks candidly to Jack Rathborn about her country's future after the dramatic removal of the dictator Bashar al-Assad earlier this month
The 30 medal sports legend you may not have heard of
A Paralympic veteran, Sarah Storey tells Luke Baker why we struggle to celebrate para-athletes doing incredible things
Haaland's spot-kick sums up limp and lifeless City
So, no Christmas miracle for the man christened Josep. Instead, his new normal continued.
Gakpo emerges as Reds' latest game-changing star
Liverpool are accustomed to singing about walking through the storm.
Labour won't kill the British pub - but some will still die
The institution is safe for the time being but Budget tax hikes will affect those that are already struggling
China greenlight 'world's biggest' hydro dam in Tibet.despite flooding concerns
China has approved the construction of the world's largest hydropower dam on the eastern rim of the Tibetan plateau despite protests over its ecological impact and concerns it could affect millions of people downstream in India and Bangladesh.
Asia marks 20 years since.tragic Boxing Day tsunami
One of world's worst natural disasters claimed 228.000 lives
Israel confirms attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen
Israel's military has confirmed that it struck multiple targets linked to the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen yesterday, including Sanaa International Airport and three ports along the western coast.
Syria's rebels planned years ahead for life after Assad
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham commanders talk to Bel Trew about the planning and military innovations that brought them victory
Moscow 'foiled' multiple Ukraine assassination plots
Russia has claimed it has foiled several Ukrainian plots to assassinate senior officers and their families using bombs disguised as power banks or document folders.