British Teen Jailed in Dubai Over Relationship With 17-Year-Old

Marcus Fakana, 18, was sentenced to one year in prison under UAE laws prohibiting sex with minors after a holiday romance was reported by the girl's mother.

Marcus Fakana, an 18-year-old from London, was arrested in September after the mother of a 17-year-old girl reported their relationship to Dubai police.
Under UAE law, sex with anyone under 18 is illegal, despite the UK's age of consent being 16, leading to Fakana's one-year prison sentence.
The campaign group Detained in Dubai has criticized the ruling as disproportionate and is assisting Fakana in appealing the sentence.
Fakana's family, who have returned to the UK, are raising funds for legal fees and have appealed to Dubai's ruler for clemency.
The UK Foreign Office stated they are in contact with Fakana's family, but critics have accused the government of insufficient diplomatic intervention.