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Tuesday, Mar 30 2010
By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 1:50 AM on 30th March 2010
A Briton is facing six months in jail in Dubai for allegedly making a rude gesture at an Arab.
Police arrested Simon Andrews, 56, on suspicion of public indecency after receiving a complaint from an Iraqi aviation student.
It was said the pair got into a heated argument before Mr Andrews stuck one finger up at 18-year-old Mahmud Rasheed.
Mr Rasheed complained to police and the Briton was arrested for outraging public decency last August. Mr Andrews has been banned from leaving the country ever since as he awaits trial.
But eight months on, he appeared in a Dubai court and protested his innocence only for the trial to be adjourned until April 4 after Mr Rasheed failed to appear to give evidence.
Mr Andrews has another court date scheduled for next Sunday.
According to a court source: 'Mr Andrews says the offensive gesture never happened. The Iraqi has never appeared in court to testify against him and there are no witnesses.
'Mr Andrews has told the court there is no evidence he did anything wrong and that it is Mr Rasheed's word against his.
'He has been banned from leaving the country and has been warned he could be jailed then deported.'
A friend of Mr Andrews, who surrendered his passport as a surety, has been told it will not be returned until another passport is provided.
But a blog posted by Seabee on life in Dubai said foreigners were often falling foul of its lax legal system.
It states: 'In this part of the world a personal insult is taken very, very seriously.
'So seriously that it's a criminal offence which can lead to jail, and deportation for foreigners.
'It's a case of needing to understand the culture of the place you're in and acting accordingly.
'It's another example of an unsubstantiated accusation. One person's word against another's. There is no evidence, there are no witnesses.
'It surely must be wrong that a case can even be brought on that basis.'
The case is the latest in a string of incidents involving British people in Dubai.
In 2008, IT firm manager Vince Acors and publishing company executive Michelle Palmer were both jailed after they were accused of having sex on Jumeirah Beach.
In January, a British man and his girlfriend faced jail for having unlawful sex outside marriage in a Dubai hotel and last month marketing executive Ayman Najafi and Charlotte Adams were arrested for outraging public decency after sharing a kiss in a bar.
By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 1:50 AM on 30th March 2010
A Briton is facing six months in jail in Dubai for allegedly making a rude gesture at an Arab.
Police arrested Simon Andrews, 56, on suspicion of public indecency after receiving a complaint from an Iraqi aviation student.
It was said the pair got into a heated argument before Mr Andrews stuck one finger up at 18-year-old Mahmud Rasheed.
Mr Rasheed complained to police and the Briton was arrested for outraging public decency last August. Mr Andrews has been banned from leaving the country ever since as he awaits trial.
But eight months on, he appeared in a Dubai court and protested his innocence only for the trial to be adjourned until April 4 after Mr Rasheed failed to appear to give evidence.
Mr Andrews has another court date scheduled for next Sunday.
According to a court source: 'Mr Andrews says the offensive gesture never happened. The Iraqi has never appeared in court to testify against him and there are no witnesses.
'Mr Andrews has told the court there is no evidence he did anything wrong and that it is Mr Rasheed's word against his.
'He has been banned from leaving the country and has been warned he could be jailed then deported.'
A friend of Mr Andrews, who surrendered his passport as a surety, has been told it will not be returned until another passport is provided.
But a blog posted by Seabee on life in Dubai said foreigners were often falling foul of its lax legal system.
It states: 'In this part of the world a personal insult is taken very, very seriously.
'So seriously that it's a criminal offence which can lead to jail, and deportation for foreigners.
'It's a case of needing to understand the culture of the place you're in and acting accordingly.
'It's another example of an unsubstantiated accusation. One person's word against another's. There is no evidence, there are no witnesses.
'It surely must be wrong that a case can even be brought on that basis.'
The case is the latest in a string of incidents involving British people in Dubai.
In 2008, IT firm manager Vince Acors and publishing company executive Michelle Palmer were both jailed after they were accused of having sex on Jumeirah Beach.
In January, a British man and his girlfriend faced jail for having unlawful sex outside marriage in a Dubai hotel and last month marketing executive Ayman Najafi and Charlotte Adams were arrested for outraging public decency after sharing a kiss in a bar.
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