UAE: Court Sentences Teenage Gang Rape Victim to 1
Year in Prison

http://www.realcourage.org/2010/06/uae-girl-prison-for-rape-victim/

A court in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has convicted an 18 year
old girl ("LH") to one year in prison for "consensual sex." The UAE
court convicted
her because she agreed to be alone in the car with a man "YM."

As
previously reported, the teenage girl had previously alleged that
she was gang raped by six men. the
UAE "The Nation" newspaper reported that LH had "12 bruises ranging
from 1cm to 7 cm long on her upper lip, hands, thighs, knee, and behind
her left ear." LH indicated that her brother had beaten her, although
the beatings happened at different times.

However, after the teenage girl "LH" filed charges of rape, according
to the "The Nation" on May 25, "LH" was then charged with the crime
of "extramarital sex," which could have led to a penalty of "lashes and
a maximum sentence of life in prison," with a minimum of three years in
prison. LH then pleaded with the court to allow her to withdraw the
rape charges, while one of the accused rapists laughed at her in court.
According
to the LA Times, LH appeared before the court "shackled and clothed
in an inmate's uniform of hunter green and a black headscarf" and "she
rescinded the allegations 'to get out of' jail, Bloomberg Businessweek
reported."

The UAE court had reportedly
considered the lesser criminal charge of "deception" against "LH,"
but chose to convict of "consensual sex," with a sentence of 1 year in
prison.

One of the alleged rapists was also convicted of "consensual sex"
with a sentence of 1 year in prison. Two of the men were given
sentences of three months in prison "for being alone in the company of a
woman." The other men were only given fines.

According
to "The Nation" that fines represented an application of Sharia law
only, whereas the other convictions were a combination of UAE law and
Sharia law together.

Human Rights Watch's Middle East North Africa researcher Nadya
Khalife told
the Los Angeles Times that "The major legal ramification for women
who have been raped is that they will most likely be charged with
illegal sex or sex outside marriage. Illicit sex carries a harsh
sentence of imprisonment and/or flogging.

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Responsible for Equality And
Liberty (R.E.A.L.) supports women's rights and children's rights and
protection for all those who live in fear of oppression and violence.

We urge all to support universal
human rights and dignity for all people, in accordance with our
universal human rights.

We urge all to Choose Love, Not Hate. Love Wins.

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Related R.E.A.L. Postings:

UAE:
Muslim Woman Faces Lashes, Life in Prison for Sex

UAE:
Victims of Rape in Dubai Face Jail



United
Arab Emirates: Pair Jailed for Kissing

UAE:
British Woman Raped, Then Arrested and Put in Jail for "Illegal Sex"

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Other Media Reports:

UAE
The Nation: Woman who alleged rape jailed for a year

Los
Angeles Times: Dubai: Alleged victim of gang rape sentenced to one year
in prison



May
25, 2010 - The Nation: Emirati woman, 18, retracts claim of rape by six
men