Dubai, June 09: You may be doing it to save money, you may be doing it out of love, or blindly and unknowingly… whatever the reason, sharing a roof with an unrelated person of the opposite sex can spell disaster in the UAE.
With a Sharia law that strictly punishes unmarried people living in the same house, and an international population used to living as per the rules in their own countries, the blend of different traditions and cultures often leads to uninformed decisions, some of which end in tears and tribulation.
Take the case of Toby Caroll, a 32-year-old New Zealander whose ex-girlfriend Priscilla Ferreira, a 25-year-old Brazilian, caught him in bed with Briton Danielle Spencer, 31, just after their break-up. The racy love triangle landed all three lovebirds in jail, and highlighted the dangers individuals expose themselves to when sharing their living space with a romantic interest.
On June 22, the trio will appear in court again to present the defence’s closing statement. Following this will be a final verdict on whether or not the trio is guilty of consensual sex.
But this case or earlier ones have had little or no impact on expats who knowingly or unknowingly flout the law.
The Sharia law, which is applied in the UAE, under the Al Khilwa Al Muharama clause, prohibits two unmarried and unrelated persons from the opposite sex living together.
Under Article 356 of the UAE Penal Code, related to consensual sex, anyone who engages in consensual sex will be given a minimum jail term of one year.
Despite the rules, many expatriate couples continue to flout the law.
Although there are no moral police knocking on doors to see whether men and women live together outside of marriage or familial relationships, if a complaint is filed against the couple, then the police are obliged to investigate.
Why is Sharia law applied to non-Muslims
It is the basis of the law in the UAE regardless of religion or nationality, says Mohammad Ridah of Ridah and Associates. Similar views are expressed by Yasser Shehatta, legal consultant at Rashed Bin Arab Advocates: “We are in a country that operates and practises Sharia law. What is important to understand is Sharia is also a code of conduct in the country. It’s the UAE Penal Code which decides the punishment.”
-Courtesy: Gulf News