CNN.com - Inside the Middle East

I do not see any cultural clash. In fact I see no news.
Anywhere - even in nude colonies - there is a prudish ethical mores that prohibits this conduct.
In Brazil, where I live, this behaviour is considered a violation of public morals. In Amarica it is indecent exposure.
You can see it in any adult movie during daytime and it is not persecuted.

Behind closed doors in most all industrialized nations. I stand by Dubai in this, but a grand fine would have been sufficient.

the people should respect the others abroad. englander should behave themself.

The Dubai government didn't publicise the story, it was broken by the UK tabloid "The Sun" through their Dubai based freelance who knew Palmer socially so would have discovered her predicament. The story in the Sun was then picked up globally. It wasn't covered in the Dubai press for a couple of days after the Sun broke it (by which point the expat community all knew) with Arabic press running it the day after the English press.
I don't think the Dubai government could play down such a high profile case.

Dubai is a welcoming city and no one, from whatever nationality they belong to, feels alien.

Such a conduct is rejected anywhere in the world, since the beach is a public place where kids and adults are present, and such an act violates the privacy of others.

Moreover, we need to respect the regulations, culture, and code of conduct of the country we live in.

I believe that one of the things that differ us from animals is our approach to sex as an expression of love.

I am not sure how to approach the UAE. At one point, this country depends very much on the west and therefore should also accept the different attitude. One the other hand, if somebody moves to a different country then they need to live according to the rules. Especially public nudity is generally a point which splits society apart. I live in Cyprus and here as well are strict rules when it comes to public sexual behaviour. I believe 3 month jail is a little much but compared to other Nations in the region (such as Saudi Arabia etc) they were lucky.

Well if children were around no one would approve it.A week in prison would have been enough.Private things must remain private.

What exactly were the charges against these two individuals? I have read other accounts, and it seems "public sex" was not the only charge. To leave out this important detail is to mischaracterize the story.

Several other comments seem to be positive toward Dubai's actions despite not knowing the full extent of what happened. In reality, Dubai is not some happy oasis of relative liberalism in an otherwise dismal part of the world. It is a society in flux. It is a country full of gross human rights abuses despite the sheen of new money. It is a place whose complexities were totally glossed over by the writer of the blog whose viewpoint is uninformed and, frankly, quite disturbing.

As a former US sailor who has spent two liberty ports in Dubai, I can say that there is amazing leniency in the law there. The fact that the city can handle 5500 drunk and partying sailors with little incident should be a testament to that. Honestly, they were fined only 1000 Dirhams, around 250 bucks. The three months jail time is a little rough, but you could receive the amount of time from a DUI conviction. There are plenty of places in Dubai where you could get away with that sort of thing, (TGIT, for anyone who has been to Dubai) so to get caught would imply sheer stupidity.

Some people pay money to watch sex. Sex video is a big money maker. It would be great if we can find a country where people can watch for free. I suspect it is more exciting that watching ot on TV. It is distressing that the jail sentence is publicized as an Islamist or Arab culture. Moreover, perhaps one of the developing countries should implement their own bailout plan to improve their economy with tourism by allowing expats as well as locals to have sex anywhere they want. Any economist out there?

I have been to Dubai and rest of UAE dozens of times. The development there is dizzying and tizzying. No where on earth can one see such a pace of development. I am happy that it is happening in atleast in once place. But what these Englanders didwas unpardanoble in any liberal society. What is said is not even news worthy as these people deserve for what they have done. Behave and respect local traditions. Or, dont come. Its as plain as that

To those asking for specifics on the case: the British couple was initially charged with sex outside of marriage, public indecency and drunkenness.

The pair plan to appeal the verdict.

Hala

I honestly don't understand how anybody can even relate this to the religion of the country. This is a no-no in any country. Moreoever, foreigners should respect the culture in which they live. I don't want to go to the beach for a swim and happen to see two people having sex. It's unacceptable and they need to be punished to show others that there are boundaries.

glad I wasnt caught for the same in Dubai....

Culture clash? How naive. Respect the law where you stay. The same if you did it on Brighton beach or Florida, you will be punished.

This was at midnight, probably with no one around. Who hasn't wanted a romantic interlude on the beach? I agree they're within their right to punish but 3 months in jail? A hefty fine & deportation would have been more appropriate. People are just way to uptight about sex.

I agree that you should respect the morals of any country you plan to visit. I also suggest that if a country's moral's put you at risk...DON'T GO THERE AND GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY.

If they are catering to westerners, they need to adopt and understand western culture.

Dubai has a strong long against any form of public affection. So a couple having their honeymoon in Dubai can't kiss in public?

Sex on the beach is taking it a bit too far, but so is a 90 day prison sentence. Doctors note says they had no sex. If anything, they should have gotten a heavy fine for being intoxicated, public exposure, and asked to leave the country.

Also, what is this that the judge can apply a sentence at his discretion, without offering any explanation. How will other citizens and visitors know what the laws are? Right now, my understanding is that I can be accused of something, and a judge will sentence me heavily without explaining.

Now I know where not to vacation and I hope other westerners stay away as well....

Is civilization a way back to jungle?. If yes, it is correct to have sex in public. There are some lessons we can learn from eastern civilizations.

EDUARDO MIZRAHI S.

The news reports from today aren't giving the full story. A policeman saw them on the beach and asked them to stop their activity and move along. He came back later to discover that they hadn't, and they then got into a verbal tussle. In what country in the world would these people not have been arrested? To characterize this as an "offense against Islamic morals" is a mischaracterization, trying to titillate readers.

This is not an issue, sex is normally not a public affair.

"When in Rome do as the Romans."

No tourist has the right to dictate laws to the country they are visiting and therefore they must respect the laws of the land. If they feel the law is unjust or unfair, then they shouldn't visit the country in the first place!

Its a country that strictly upholds the laws of Islam, you have to adhere to the rules of the country, and if you can't stay home!

Drunkenness and irresponsible behaviour is the order of the day in Britain.

You won't be handled with kids gloves everywhere like you are in your country. Learn to be disciplined, and respect decency!

I absolutely stand by Dubai. There has to be a difference between animals and homo saphiens. This should be it. Do what you want within the 4 walls. In public/outdoors, you better respect the rules & regulations.

I recently returned to the US after living in Dubai. This case shows the complicated situation you get into when liberalizing the middle east.

The people of Dubai and the police are very tolerant of Western culture and ignore the enforcement of most of their conservative laws when it comes to foreigners (and actually locals too). They keep these laws on the books not just out of religious commitment, but also so their courts have the option to impose strict penalties in the event of blatant disregard as in this case.

These two people showed the ultimate in disrespect to both law and the minority locals. The law would have ignored their personal indiscretions, including the sex, but not doing it in a public place! By the way, you can’t have sex in public in the US, UK, or nearly anywhere in the world, so all we’re really talking about here is severity of the punishment.

As I said, I lived in Dubai. With my girlfriend (illegal), held hands and kissed in public places (illegal). But we were respectful enough not to cross any lines that would cause offence. This is just common sense. We never felt oppressed, quite the opposite the native Arabs were quite warm and friendly. The police were NOT threatening, and actually I found them more friendly than here in the US.

Their law enforcement is fair, and I can say they only are harsh in extreme situations like this, and also on drug or DUI infractions.

I applaud the Dubai judicial system for doing this. How dare expats spit on the culture which is giving them a living. I came to the Middle East (Kuwait) 20 years ago and it has given me a good life.I respect that and the people I live and work with. These people are 'smash and grabbers'- they come to 'our' country and take, take, take and then cry when they get caught with their, literal, pants down.
Three months is the least of what they could have had if real Sharia had been implemented. They should thank their lucky stars and think twice before they abuse their hosts in future-but they probably won't.

i was wondering if the article is saying that in the west public sex is widely acceptable because as far as i know, any indecent behaviour (such as having sex in public) is punishable by law...

I honestly feel this news item might actually be able to bring us closer to world peace. 24 comments from around the world and I see unanimous agreement.

For having Sex on a beach they might have been sentenced for up to 6 years. With this in mind 3 months (1/24th of the possible outcome) seem to be a very, very friendly sentence.

When you go to another country you simply have to obey the laws. Ignoring them, especially after a policeman warned them, is either a sign of big disrespect or simply stupidity. Anyway, it was their fault and i think they had big luck that they will be home in January.

"Of course it wouldn't lead to a prison sentence and deportation, but I'm pretty sure a couple would get in at least a little bit of trouble with the law for doing the same thing in Paris, London or New York."

But not in London, anymore...

From the BBC News:
"People caught having sex in public should only be arrested as a last resort, according to draft guidelines being issued to police.

Police should instead turn a blind eye to consenting adults in parks and public toilets, a senior officer said."

I don't understand why this is a news item... Aren't there more important things going on in the world that require our attention and global awareness? I don't find it to be a sign of cultures clashing, it was a lack of judgement and respect on the part of those who committed the act.

I dont even see clash of Cultural Clash..British couple should have resoected the Law of Dubai, they have voilated that. if some one would have commit such a act in london or even Manchester the British authorities would have taken much more serious action than what Dubai Police took.
Public nudity is completely un-acceptable in cultured society , i am not sure if british couple are aware of this fact.

UAE is an islamic country and its citizens are not followers of western culture. They use western technology to build the country, but they are proud of their islamic roots and feel sorry for lack of civilized behavior by some westerners. A 3-month jail sentense is a good lesson for some westerners to act civilized. There is a difference between animals and civilized people.

This guys just wanted to be famous,
it's just it.

You do the crime , you do the time.

Dubai is pretty liberal in most of the things compared to other cities in the region but having sex on the beach is going too far. There's a limit to everything.

I think it's being exaggerated by the media! It's a normal thing, breaking the law leads to prison.

According to the AFP, the couple did not in fact, have sex, and only engaged in 'kissing and public affection.' Considering that, I think this sentence is rather harsh, and a nasty cultural confrontation. In western nations people engage in that thing all the time in public, especially beaches. In my opinion if Dubai and the UAE wants to be a western tourist friendly destination, it needs to accept that westerns have different understandings of public morality, and it needs to be accommodating. For example in Malaysia (if memory is correct), non-Muslim foreign tourists can buy and consume alcohol in designated resort areas, that is a good example of accommodation while preserving traditions elsewhere in the country.

Well, isn't there a saying "when in Rome, do as the Romans do"...sex on the beach in Dubai was not appropriate, was it? Or anywhere in the middle east, for that matter.

good afternoon,
I really think that it's normal .
in fact westerner must respect the dubaï's laws because they aren't in their country so they must accept the traditions and tha habits of the people who live in Dubaï. It's a duty.
moreover, I think that American shouldn't be happy if a foreigner wouldn't respect the America's laws .It's the same in dubaï.

The tourists should have known the rules and regs. It is their responsibility to "pay the piper", no whining, no human rights violations, no fancy lawyers.

You said it, a small measure of decency and decorum is not much to ask, If I do this on a lake Erie beach you bet I will be arrested

Hani Zabaneh

Westerners are treated as superior to other races in Dubai. This unfortunate favouritism has caused some of them to think that they can do what they like with impunity. Most chose to completely ignore the traditions of that originally conservative country. I think the blame goes to the Dubai authorities.

I think the story has been changed over and over to suit the view point of the writer. Basically the couple had a few drinks and were kissing passionately on a beach. To report the worst and embelish the story is always going to sell more papers. Bottom line is these people are guests in a country, no where that I know of allows sex in public, and Im sure thier actions were totally exaggerated. The punishment doesnt fit the crime however thats what happens when you are an ex-pat and at the mercy of a foriegn court.
Keep in mind Dubai is a city just like any other, they turn a blind eye to prostitution, drug use, and corruption. Their human rights abuses go beyond what you would hear about in 3rd world countries...basically Dubai is a souless hypocritic city desparate to out-do the world at any cost. Be it way under paid cheap labor with shotty construction and cheap materials, or corruption by an arab mafia controling these constructions, prostitution and drug dealing. Dubai isnt as glossy as it seems.

Clash between Civilized and Uncivilzied.

the blame goes to the UAE government 1st of all they create these kind of enviroment and then they argue.what a hapocray.

I can’t believe the lack of respect shown by foreigners abroad. The opportunity to visit or work in another country is a privilege not a right. Dubai has softened so many Muslim traditions to cater for outsiders. When I visited AUE, I was alarmed by the 'ignorance' of foreigners in their disregard for even simple respectful gestures such as modest dress in public (that’s what the hotels are for). In an ever changing world, how possibly can a culture survive if they can not hold onto the simplest personal values and attributes that make them unique?
I don't know how feel about the sentencing and humiliation, if it happened elsewhere in a Muslim state or nation one would imagine the punishment would have been much severer.

I do also didn't see any cultural clash. U can "having sex" freely but not for "sex show", both are different!

Practicing sex on a public beach is also illegal here in the State of California..Even in secluded nude beaches, there are signs stating etiquette guidelines, "Avoid sexual activity, It's illegal and offensive"...Surprise surprise!!

I see no clash of cultures here. Public indecency is punshable everywhere in the globe. This has nothing to do with culture or religion. If u ask me, the Britons got what they deserve!

Muslims themselves aren't known for their capability to obay the laws in the countries they live in. In Holland, for example, muslim youth are are constantly in the news because they cause a lot of trouble, radical muslims openly resist against the gouvernment an the law and they put no effort in hiding their ambitions to take over our country

Dubai is right:
Have all the sex you want but behind closed doors.

Regards,

Enough is enough. I support Dubai on this. However, I would reduce the penalty to 2 weeks and banned their visas for a year. What difference between human and animal is the closed door. Get it?

There's an obvious contrast in how the west receives and accepts Islamic nationals, to the manner in which the western nationals are received and accepted in Islamic nations. A double standard. Many Islamic nations who believe they're "forward" thinking are well behind social western notions and if they're trying to reach western investment and tourism, then they need to work towards a real common ground that caters to wider tolerances not a narrow interpretation.

The woman mentioned in the article was fired from her job for sexual indiscretion few months ago in her own country.Those uncoupled couple seem to have taken their curse to an accidental beach and under undetermined moon their curse grew to maturity.It was an accident in design and design in accident where the knot was unknotted.It has nothing to do with culture or religion and this kind of behaviour is not accepted in any country.Not being cultured,as those couple seem to be,is trait,that is cruel has no remorse and smiles at situation it can not see.

Ahh, the 'Ugly-Brit' (yes, 'Ugly-Americans' don't hold a patent!) strikes again. Dubai should charge them with every offence that applies, fine them through the noses, deport them, and stamp their passports with something like 'Disrespectful Infidel', so every other country will be warned!

Ms Gorani, you said:
Am I wrong in thinking that having sex in public is also illegal in most Western countries?

No, you are not wrong. This isn't any sort of 'Muslim Fundamentalism'. The USA is more prudish than Dubai!

Public sex? Not in the most permissive parts of the USA! Public drunkenness is an arrestable offence! (I wish the same were true in the UK... this country is an open-air drunk-tank).

Even falling asleep, in the nude, in a public place, is an arrestable offence, in any industrialised country!

Deport the Ugly-Brits, and flag their passports! 'Unfit to travel outside the EU'. Let us keep our spoilt-brats where we can keep an eye on them!

That sort of person makes me ashamed to have been born British! (Ugly-Americans have the same effect on me; I lived in the States, most of my life.) CRINGE

Sincerely embarrassed,

Uma
Liverpool, UK

Well i think it's funny though,but my opinion is that where one's right's stops the other begins.the couple took it too far.

I think its perfectly right that they got the punishment they deserve. Dubai is a very liberal arab state which gives your freedom to practice your religion, express your culture. One should be sensitive to the local culture and respective. They were in a public area used by families, they should know how to behave in public places.

Thank god this couple were caught in Dubai and not some more conservative arabic state.

The culture clash is more in question here is more evident in western society than in Dubai. Obviously having sex in public is against the law....ANYWHERE. The fact that western media and the public in general finds this an issue to me reflects the anxiety of the west towards muslims as a whole. But come on, sex in public...its a no-brainer, don't do it. It is risky if you do. I imagine that there are several states in the US and other countries where similar penalties to 90 days in jail could be applied. Usually we would see minimal application of possible penalties. There are stiff laws against sex in public in Thailand ironically. And although the Thai government would never enforce them against western tourists, if they did, we wouldn't see such an issue made of it. As a side note, I personally have no problem with sex in public and would love to engage in it, but I know its taboo pretty much everywhere.

There is more! As one other poster pointed out, there is more to the story.

I was in Dubai 2-3 months ago when this was in the local news (I suppose the final sentencing just happened recently), and here was the story I heard from both the local papers and from the expat community. I hope this is correct:

-The couple allegedly did not know each other before the incident, and met while attending two back-to-back all you can drink brunches, which is considered excessive even fro British exats

-Went to the beach and began messing around. Somebody complained

-Police came, and warned the couple, and left

-(Some amount of time) later the police returned to make sure they had stopped, at which point the couple was having full blown sex

-Police proceeded to arrest the couple, AT WHICH POINT the girl became furious and lashed out a tirade of curses.

So, two take away points from the story I heard:

1) They were warned!

2) In an Islamic culture a woman cursing all over the place is an enormous offense.

I dont know why they want to have sex in public, so they want to act like wild animals. I dont think this is freedom of sex, but it seemed like overfreedom

I am sorry to say this, but, western expats sometimes get a bad name not just in the middle east but also other parts of the world.

I was once in my office pantry when a Brit came in to look for milk for his coffee. Failing to obtain some, he exclaimed, "no milk? I can't believe a former British colony has no milk!"

I would have punched him in the nose if not for the tinge of asian civility in me.

I am in perfect agreement with the comment "you do the crime, you do the time".

I currently live in Canada, and haved lived in both Southeast Asia and Central America. Please, respect the culture in which you reside/visit.

I'm not in agreement with the comment that mentioned "prudish ethical mores". Again, please, since when is public sexual acts REALLY acceptable in any country. It shows a complete lack of respect for others.

I agree with the Dubai officials. At least some people in the world know a thing or two about morals, not like America, Britain, and other Western countries.

This British couple has behaved abysmally! And the woman with her tirade of cursing and swearing made matters much worse. I am an expat Brit and am frequently ashamed by the behaviour of other Brits overseas - why can't they try and win honour and respect for their country in another man's land rather than show how moronic they can be. The people of the Middle East and SE Asia cannot be expected to condone such disrespectful behaviour.

If you see in the light of Islamic life style, it must have been b/c Islam doesn't allow freedom of being, in all sense.

First of all, tourists or expatriates should realize, understand and respect norma and culture of the country where they are in. Understanding of such thing will create sense of awareness of that to do or not to do. In this case, I agree with Dubai as it shows that mo matter how much Dubai opens its doors to welcome tourist and expat, it still being strict on its way of norm and cultural practice. I would also encourage that other countries having rich culture should do the same.

Western superiority or favouristism highly exist in Dubai but it shouldnt be an excuse to abuse their law, it is plain stupidity not to respect the law and some even blame the authorities.

Hello Bjorn,
I think that it is great idea. It is not that the salaried workers get cut off 10% and work full time but it could be that they have to work harder to cover the 20% time off from hourly workers.

This has nothing to do with religion or religious beliefs. It is simply wrong to mis-behave like this in public. Nowhere in the world would sex in public be tolerated including the western world. We have people from all ages & races in public places & we have to respect our surroundings & send the correct message to our youngsters. The Dubai courts did the right thing by punishing these people.

Is having sex in public persecuted in the west? I believe so, so what's the fuss about Dubai?

Where in the world is public sex allowed? The notion of "culture clash" suggests that British culture is one in which two drunken people F%@#^ing on the beach in the middle of the day would be left alone.

Both Sex and Religion must be practiced behind closed doors...especially the later...

It doesn't matter what we think because we are guests in any foreign country. Their law prevails, not our wishes. One should be an especially polite guest when traveling to cultures unlike our own and respect all local customs; especially when asked. If you don't want to do this, don't go. I've traveled to Dubai many times and feel very welcome. But I'm gay and believe me, I would NEVER pursue my pleasures in Dubai.

While they clearly disrespected the local customs, I think the UAE authorities should have much bigger fish to fry than a drunken one night stand on Jumeirah Beach. I lived in Dubai for more than ten years and left in 2006 because I was tired of being mistaken for a prostitute in every bar I went to. Prostitution is rife, almost state-sponsored. I asked a friend of mine in CID once why the police didn't do more about it and he told me "It keeps the rape figures down". That may well be, but I find it laughable that these two have been made an example of when violation of 'public morals' are taking place all day every day in every one of Dubai's seedy night establishments. I didn't know a single woman in Dubai, expat or Arab, who wasn't married to a man who enjoyed other women's company on a regular basis. Let's not throw stones, Dubai. This is nothing to do with "loose Western morals", it has everything to do with your own hypocrisy.

Indecent Conduct such as this is a crime in most countries including western countries, so this is not about the clashing of cultures. It is about respecting the laws of the country you live in. I believe Dubai's verdict is just.

Hello, all heterosexuals! This is what it feels for homosexuals all over the world, including the western. Get the point finally?

The problem with westerners they are to liberal on what ever they intend to do...

As for the brits, alcohol is your achilles heel... look at the football hooligans... they just go crazy and start breaking things...

I am glad that they made it as an example and open the eyes of the world... it would not have been a big deal if it happened in the wonderful beaches of Thailand or the Philippines...

This is not a culture clash issue; this is a public decency issue. Having sex in public is an offence not just in Dubai, but also in the West. Westerners in Dubai have it much easier than any other nationalities including the locals, so for them to be pursued legally that means that they must have really pushed their luck.

I question CNN's interest in this story. Firstly, two foreigners came to a Muslim country and BROKE THE LAW. It is as simple as that. There are Muslims living in non-Muslim countries all over the world and possibly breaking the law at this very instant. Why is CNN not reporting on those? This is one of those supposedly innocent, subliminal attempts of anti-Islamic propaganda, aimed at making the young people of the West question the morality and integrity of Muslims and Muslim countries, thereby inevitably making them develop anti-Islamic sentiments. What purpose is served by taking a poll on what people think of this incident (as was done by CNN and the results were 51%-49%)? Did CNN take a poll after the OJ Simpson verdict asking whether or not he deserved to be imprisoned for his crime??? In a way, that CNN poll has proven my point because if CNN had not reported that story, it would have been just another criminal event in the history of the world. The poll proved that even though America is a country that staunchly believes in law and order, 49% (nearly half!!!) believe that "it was just some harmless fun" instead of admitting that two foreigners earning a living in a predominantly Muslim country broke the law of that country.

Whether it's sex, crime or any name you may call it, an act of personal indiscipline humiliates oneself and is irreverent of the community.

I lived in the Middle East for nearly six years. Dubai is one of the sleaziest cities I have lived in there.

With open prostitution, controlled by the local Police and authorities, this ruling is an insult to all the expats who work, live and visit this Emirate.

In Dubai, one doesn't have to go far to see Russian, African, Iranian, Chinese, Iraqi, and Syrian, etc....prostitues. It is so in your face it is revolting.

Try to find a five or seven star hotel in Dubai that is not FULL of them, good luck. Even the famous Burj Al Arab is a tribute to the lowless of the Arab "culture". With prostitutes ringing mens rooms unsolicited, by rather given the info by the hotel staff. It is all organized thru the local 'culture'.

Culture in Dubai. HA ! Now that is amusing.

These laws are imposed willy nilly. And Westerners will often find themselves the victims of blackmail at such 'claims'. For example, I will tell the police that you did this or that, unless you pay me 3000 euros etc....

The police, well, they have a long way to go to live up to any international standard of 'policing'.

This is a double standard society. One rule for Westerners, and one rule for muslims.

Dubai does not deserve the reputation it tries to SELL you. The real Dubai is much uglier and darker.
Dig deeper on youtube and blogs.

The truth is out there.

As far as I am concerned, I see nothing wrong with this, since the incidence occurred at night. I am sorry to say, but you see, most Arabs are hypocrites because they also engage in these acts but are so pretentious. It is not a right thing for the couples to be jailed. At worst, they can deport them back to their countries rather then make them go to jail for having sex.
Jude from Lagos, Nigeria

I lived in the Middle East for nearly six years. Dubai is one of the sleaziest cities I have lived in there.

With open prostitution, controlled by the local Police and authorities, this ruling is an insult to all the expats who work, live and visit this Emirate.

In Dubai, one doesn't have to go far to see Russian, African, Iranian, Chinese, Iraqi, and Syrian, etc....prostitues. It is so in your face it is revolting.

Try to find a five or seven star hotel in Dubai that is not FULL of them, good luck. Even the famous Burj Al Arab is a tribute to the lowless of the Arab "culture". With prostitutes ringing mens rooms unsolicited, by rather given the info by the hotel staff. It is all organized thru the local 'culture'.

Culture in Dubai. HA ! Now that is amusing.

These laws are imposed willy nilly. And Westerners will often find themselves the victims of blackmail at such 'claims'. For example, I will tell the police that you did this or that, unless you pay me 3000 euros etc....

The police, well, they have a long way to go to live up to any international standard of 'policing'.

This is a double standard society. One rule for Westerners, and one rule for muslims.

Dubai does not deserve the reputation it tries to SELL you. The real Dubai is much uglier and darker.
Dig deeper on youtube and blogs.

The truth is out there.

I am an American living in Korea. I can find no fault of the government. I teach students everyday thaqt is your responsibility to know the laws of the country you are in and to respect their customs. Same everywhere

I am an North American expat and live in Dubai what you see on the beach on any given day is truly astounding - and I am no prude. Yes, children are often around - it's almost a 'what goes on in Vegas stays in Vegas' attitude. Not having a neighbour you grew up with likely to come by seems to unleash their hormones. In fact in Dubai you really need to be out of line to have a police officer arrive. Dubai is incredibly tolerant of the expats and tourists compared to the rest of the region. I hope this curbs some of the more overt displays of affection and nudity we see on an all too frequent basis whether at the shopping mall or at the beach. A little respect for everyone else would be welcome.

It's a fair judgement, i don't see anything religious about it.
Every country has their own house rules, therefore tourists/ expats should abide to it.

The 3 months jail was the consequence of their public sex.

I would not venture to write as an apparently decent moralist but this is an obvious violation of Emirates codes,especially " religious" . Elsewhere in the gulf they probably would be sentenced by being pelted by stones. Notwithstanding that such pornographic behavior is natural at Emirates,it is Scandalous !

They violated the adage: When in Rome, do as the Romans do. In their case: Avoid doing in Dubai, what is is a serious violate of Muslim religious beliefs incorporated in U.A.E. law.

As an expat American, I have lived in many different countries with differing cultures during my work career. The fist thing I did in anticipation of relocating to another country was to familiarize myself with its cultural does and don'ts.

It is the adherence to those standards of behavior, I have avoided violating the cultural restrictions.

On the CNN report this morning I learned for the first time that after being told by an Dubai policeman to stop their sexual behavior they ignored. That was in my mind the dumbest they could have done. Ignorance is no excuse.

They paid the price for not only their violation of the cultural restriction but the clear warning of the policeman.

Again, they may have learned a valuable lesson but they are still responsible for the received punishment.

Let that be a clear and unmistakable lesson to not only them but all tourist tourists to this country.

Richard L Leonard

I would not do the same - but it seems to me someone is jealous!!

I've read your recent article called, "Culture Clash in Dubai" and wanted to comment on the Vince Acors and Michelle Palmer case. I agree with other commentators and your article that 'what is not acceptable in other cultures and societies is also not acceptable in Dubai'. As a western expat living and working in Dubai, I had the chance to follow the local press which called the issue, "sex on the beach".

While your article talks about the indecency in public angle, have you considered covering the 'insulting a police officer angle' also? My understanding is that the local authorities gave at least 2 warning to the Brits to stop what they were doing in public. However, due to the intoxicated nature of Ms. Palmer, they not only got a racial slur back, but were also confronted with profanity. Which culture would tolerate this one? I'd like to see how NY's finest or the police in any other metropolis would react to racial insults.

I also understand that the 2 persons involved were intoxicated. Had they been caught for DUI, I wonder if some would have defended them for being western expats, even though Dubai employs a zero-tolerance DUI law.

While Dubai has emerged as a tolerant culture where people from all corners of the world have come together, the basics of what is and is not acceptable are no different here when compared to the west or the east.

Regards,
Isik from Dubai

The thing must kept in mind is how this incident clashes with any culture, having sex in public is a matter of moral defiance. I hope this couple realize they have a sense of humanity shared with others infront of them say even the children.

I think it's a good thing. Whether they technically "had sex", or were just drunkenly groveling on the beach, I think the punishment is justified. There is waaay too much inappropriate behaviour going on in public in Western Europe and America as well. I would be very happy to see some strong deterring responses to that sort of vulgarity from our own law enforcement ! We need a "GET A ROOM" clamp down!

Linnane Haley

What's the big about a couple getting jailed for having sex on a beach? Can you have sex on a beach in most states of the United States? You can, but it isn't legal. In other words, sex on a beach may not be illegal, but the necessary and accompanying and "indecent exposure" is. So, what's the difference between most states of the United States and the United Arab Emirates? Not much!

Well, I think people should learn to respect the laws of other countries esp as it pertains to the islamic countries BUT 3 MONTHS SENTENCE I feel is abit too extreme considering the fact that dubai is a tourist attraction site to the world with alot of aphrodisiac spots,so they had a few beers and got naughty. If they were told they would be sentenced to 3 months in jail for such offences maybe the effect of the alcohol would have worn out and allowed them use der senses correctly.

i dont see any harm done in this they deserved it becaused west or east this is a clear example of how immmoral this world has turned into nd i wud like to warn all of a painful torment that lies ahead so beware cuz history repeats its self!.....................

nd btw 3 months is too little!!

The sentence is ridiculously light for a Middle Eastern Country. The Brits behavior is outrageously indecent and unacceptable and it impugns on the sensibilities of locals and Muslims generally.
Dubai authorities with their so-called liberalism might also have invited this on themselves.

Foreigners should respect the culture in which they live but i thought a grand fine would have been sufficient.

I'm glad that most people have already raised the points i wish to raise... because i'm an arab, muslim with a moderately open mind,thats lived in belgium and france and fact is any one having sex in public in those countries will be punished.. not saying they'd be jailed but that just falls into the less leniant system that there is in Arab countries... But what annoys me the most is words like "muslim" and "arab" being tossed around just to dirty our name even more than its being dirtied with the whole terrorism thing... Hopefully western cultures dont continue to be swayed and turned against "us" by the media...

Happy coexistens is not the truth in Dubai.

Getting arrested for having sex on the beach could be the same thing as kissing on the beach.

No one, married or not are not allowed to show any kind of affection, not even to hold hands or you can get arrested. But at the same time showing hatred is perfectly ok.

Dubai is a metropolitan city, or so they want to project. With that in mind and that the place now is eager to be tourist spot number one also means they have to change their perspective.

It is relatively quiet so far in Dubai on all the crazy underlying bad records of violation against basic human rights. It is partly quiet as even media keep a very low profile. I guess because they get good concessions from the government in terms of offices and s forth. It was only 2 weeks ago for the first time that CNN even dared report about the labour problems that the constructionworkers have. Passports taken away, almost no salaries and so forth.

This is just the start massive exploitation is the word to go by in Dubai

Is it really illegal to have sex outside of marriage in Dubai? If so - hypothetically two consenting unmarried adults are having sex and the police storm, in they going to jail for between 3 months to a year?

Or if a single person arrives for a holiday in Dubai and a box of condoms is found in their suitcase can that person arrested for 'attempted sex outside of marriage'?

Sorry but I do not excuse ignorant for whom freedom equal immoral, so I believe this couple deserve the sentence.. There is enough freedom and security in Dubai and expats do not need trash to spoil it.. having been myself an expat in Dubai for many years and I regret having to leave !..

I am one of the thousands of expats who live in Dubai. What is shocking about the story is the twisting of the facts. The policeman has not shown up for either court date, and seems to have been excused. The other 'witnesses' have given their version outside of court. Given that the beach has been polluted with faeces from illegal dumping, it is highly unlikely they were have sex on the beach amongst all the s**t that is floating around. While the Brits are known for too much drinking (in every country), the problem here is the fact that all of has continually been written when even the medical tests given by the government doctors show clearly that she did not have sex.

One of the problems of Dubai is the conflicting images. I walk though coffee shops and women are in mini skirts and bare midrifs. Others are nursing their babies. Asian men are holding hands (ok in their culture).

What is ok one day, isn't the next. That is the risk of Dubai -- no consistency.

This couple has had their lives ruined and their names plastered around the world. Living here, I think that it was blown out of proportion and the real issue is that there is no burden of proof on the police or the courts to prove the case. Sad.

I think any sexual act in public will offend any sane human. I do not think that any religion can tolerate such animal acts. The two responsible should have been deported immediately. Let them Do their act back in their countries. At the end, this is an Islamic country. There are rules to be respected, rules of conduct to be followed, but not like this.

If Dubai allowed non-muslims to live in they city then they should respect their law. they can not come there and do what ever they want, the West has to understand that. anyway, as most had noticed, this kind of behavior is illegal in many Western countries.