Woman raped in Dubai jailed for 'sex outside marriage'

A Norwegian woman who reported being raped in Dubai has been jailed for 16 months - for having sex outside of marriage.

The 25-year-old was in the country on a business trip when she was attacked in March.

She was put in jail for three days without telephone access. She then managed to contact her family, and the Norwegian consulate negotiated her release.

She had to stay in Dubai and live under the protection of the Norwegian Seaman's Church until her sentencing this week, reports the Daily Mail.

She was given one year and four months in jail. According to the News In English, her attacker was only sentenced to one year and one month.

Digital Journal reports that the woman was convicted on three counts: sex outside marriage, drinking alcohol, and perjury.

After the trial, the woman reportedly said: "I have received punishment for sex outside of marriage, punishment for drinking alcohol, and then I was also convicted of having given false testimony."

According to the Daily Mail, Gisle Meling, the priest at the Norwegian Seaman's Church, said: "It is a terrible situation she is in.

"We are very surprised and had hoped it would go another way, but we live in a country which has a justice system which draws its conclusions with the help of Sharia law."

Under Sharia law, sex before marriage is forbidden, and even couples holding hands in public can be jailed.

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