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Marcus, from Tottenham, North London, had been enjoying a holiday with his parents when he met a fellow Brit at the same hotel. A holiday fling sparked and the pair spent time together until the girl, also from London, flew back to Britain.

In Dubai, if an adult has a sexual relationship with a person under 18, they can be prosecuted for having a sexual relationship with a minor. The relationship would be legal in the UK.

Marcus and his parents were set to fly back shortly after - but their plans were thrown into chaos when police knocked on their hotel room door. The "terrified" teenager was then reportedly hauled in for questioning without any explanation and held at the Al Barsha Police Station, DID said. He spent three days there, during which time he was not allowed to make a phone call or speak with his parents, it is claimed.

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[-] madcaesar@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago

I have the family's next vacation picked out! Saudi Arabia, where they'll have a fully stocked bar of alcohol and pork waiting for them to enjoy! What could go wrong!

Stop spending your money in these Islamofascist countries!

[-] BetaBlake@lemmy.world 284 points 3 days ago

You Europeans really gotta stop vacationing in fucking Dubai, there are way cooler places to fly to.

[-] Woht24@lemmy.world 149 points 3 days ago

It's fucking Dubai.. Why would you want to go there?

A monument to man's arrogance, literal slaves, rampant misogyny, homophobia Yada Yada. Terrifying laws based on ultra conservative religions. Routinely one of the hottest places in the world and extremely expensive.

Just fucking why?

[-] OfficerBribe@lemm.ee 3 points 1 day ago

I have the same mindset against Dubai and would never visit it. That said I know a perfectly normal colleague who has been there with his family 2 or 3 times and said he would probably go there again. Don't recall why they liked it there that much.

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[-] RubberElectrons@lemmy.world 54 points 3 days ago

100%, I hated every minute of my layover wandering that shit-quality SimCity attempt, the bubble popped real fast once I talked to some locals.

I can't wait for the sand to bury that cruel slave labor shitberg.

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[-] theacharnian@lemmy.ca 23 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I wonder if there is a law in the UK that would allow the parents of the boy to sue the mother of the girl for snitching. Like, she weaponized the laws of another country that criminalize behaviours that are legal in the UK, for things that happened between UK citizens abroad. That sounds like something UK legislators might have the power and incentive to legislate, right?

Also, I would not fault the girl if she hated her horrible mother for the rest of her life.

[-] HowManyNimons@lemmy.world 15 points 1 day ago

£20 says she's white and racist.

[-] JasminIstMuede@lemmy.blahaj.zone 276 points 3 days ago

I will never understand why this place is idolized by so many people...

[-] someguy3@lemmy.world 129 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Or why you'd even vacation there. How tf did they convince people to vacation in a desert?

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[-] jol@discuss.tchncs.de 83 points 2 days ago

Hard to feel sorry about anyone travelling to Dubai.

[-] raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world 25 points 2 days ago

Correct for adults, but this was the kid travelling with his parents. It's likely that the decision was the parents' - also, most kids are not very well-versed in politics.

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[-] Phoenicianpirate@lemm.ee 137 points 3 days ago

Fuck Dubai.

Signed me, who grew up there.

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[-] beansbeansbeans@lemmy.world 124 points 3 days ago

Dubai is a terrible place. People need to stop going there.

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[-] Nollij@sopuli.xyz 60 points 3 days ago

I'm curious how the authorities were even aware of this occurring. The article says they were on holiday, so it's not like there was much time. How did anyone notice their ages? Was it just fishing for a charge because of unrelated reasons?

[-] ByteOnBikes@slrpnk.net 83 points 3 days ago

Either

  1. They're always watching. I'm in tech and was taught in my security training - when traveling to countries with extremely strong surveillance, assume you are bugged. Family could be high valued and they wanted something from the parents. Probably a bit too tinfoil hat.

  2. Vengeance girl's parents could be assholes/racist. As a dude, Ive had my share of "mommy & daddy doesn't like me for taking their precious flower". Multiplier in effect if they have a problem that I'm a PoC.

[-] Dashmezzo@lemm.ee 50 points 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

It was the mother of the girl. She got back to the UK found out about the boy and contacted the Dubai authorities. Apparently the girl was days off her 18th birthday too. It was in the news report when he was originally arrested.

Wrecked a young man’s life for some bullshit reason.

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this post was submitted on 11 Dec 2024
404 points (96.5% liked)

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