Activists who helped a British teenager convicted over a holiday affair in the United Arab Emirates have said it is “outrageous” that the Foreign Secretary appears unwilling to help them.
Detained in Dubai, a campaign group working closely with the family of Marcus Fakana, asked David Lammy to raise the case through diplomatic channels after the construction apprentice was sentenced in Dubai last week.
Fakana, 18, faces a year in jail for having sex with a 17-year-old London girl while on holiday with her parents in the UAE city in August.
The girl was just a month shy of her 18th birthday, but sex with anyone under 18 is a crime in the Gulf state.
Following the arrest of the British teenager, the Foreign Secretary, who also serves as MP for Fakana’s north London constituency of Tottenham, said Britons should “play by the rules” of other countries.
But Detainees in Dubai have criticized the statement as false.
He said: ‘It is outrageous to withdraw from the case. He (Lammy) clearly did not want to help or have those conversations with the Dubai government.
“It seems absolutely fine to see a young British tourist jailed for having sex with someone who was a month shy of his 18th birthday, simply saying he had to follow the law.”
Marcus Fakana, 18, had a week-long holiday affair with a girl, also British, but was arrested and detained after his mother complained to Dubai police. Now he has been imprisoned
Detained in Dubai, a campaign group working closely with Fakana’s family heavily criticized British Foreign Secretary David Lammy for “withdrawing from the case”.
Marcus is pictured with his family who have been fighting to have the teenager released.
Lammy has said the convicted teenager’s family “has had every support”.
MailOnline has contacted the Foreign Office for comment.
It comes after lawyer David Haigh, who is advising the Fakana family, warned that Fakana could have his sentence increased by up to 20 years.
Speaking exclusively to The Mail on Sunday, Haigh said: ‘The maximum sentence for a case like this is 20 years.
‘You always see that the prosecutor really decides the sentence, but this was a low sentence for them. The concern is that they won’t want to let this go and appear weak. They may want to demonstrate that they have fully followed the law to all onlookers. Marcus will hardly participate in any prosecutorial appeals.
‘You will not be allowed to speak or address the judge and everything will be in Arabic anyway. There will be no translator. They’ll probably shove him into court for a minute and then take him out again.
And he added: “The next few days will be full of difficulties.”
Fakana has not yet been jailed at al-Awir men’s maximum security central prison, which houses death row inmates, murderers, terrorists and violent gangsters, as prosecutors debate whether to demand a harsher punishment.
Haigh said the main hope was that Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, would respond to Fakana’s new plea to be pardoned by authorities and deported rather than locked up.
Pictured is al-Awir high-security central prison, where Fakana will serve his sentence. The jail houses some of Dubai’s worst criminals, including murderers, terrorists and rapists.
While the relationship would have been legal in the UK, under Dubai law a 17-year-old is considered a child. The girl, from London, has already turned 18 years old.
The family of London Tottenham’s Marcus Fakana have been left devastated by his prison sentence, sources have claimed.
The prominent human rights lawyer also expressed concern about the safety of the teenagers inside the jail, stating that their young age and levels of racism would make it a “terrible” experience for him.
‘The family is very worried. “They’re hoping for a miracle,” Haigh added.
Fakana could still file his own appeal to try to reduce or eliminate the sentence.
Radha Stirling, who heads the Detained in Dubai pressure group, said Fakana “clearly had no intention of breaking the law”.
And he added: ‘They (his family) are going to wait and see if the prosecution is going to request a harsher sentence. Frankly, that real possibility is scaring the family.
‘He never imagined that he would go to jail for a holiday romance with a girl who was a few months younger, but who is now the same age.
‘It’s just shocking. His life is being ruined. Here we have two British tourists who were on holiday in a consensual relationship and now one is going to jail.
“Dubai likes to promote itself as a glamorous party destination, for influential people, but they are jailing a British tourist for something that would not be a crime in his own country and would ruin his life.”
Speaking about the sentencing, Sterling said: “I had hoped that the British government, as other governments have done, would step forward and save one of their citizens from an unfair sentence.”
‘Marcus pleaded guilty, but police and prosecutors had a disturbing litany of details in his file that ended up making it more than just a misdemeanor and heard in higher court.
‘They said he was over 19 and from Pakistan. He was a British citizen. “There were a lot of mistakes deliberately made to torment him.”
Marcus’ parents asked the ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, “to please let our son return home.”
Radha Stirling, founder of the British-based aid group Detained In Dubai, criticized the government for not doing more to help the teenager, calling the situation a “shame” for Britain.
Fakana began his secret Christmas romance in August with the girl who was then just a couple of weeks away from turning 18.
They were reportedly planning to continue their relationship when they returned to London.
But the girl’s mother reportedly found contraceptive pills, photographs and chats upon her return to the UK and informed Dubai police, who arrested Fakana at her hotel.
Since his arrest, Fakana has been staying in a rented apartment and was said to be “too scared” to venture out.
A GoFundMe page set up by the family has raised more than £33,000, with the money going to pay for the teenager’s accommodation and legal fees.
On the page the family wrote: ‘Our son (Marcus) went to the United Arab Emirates to celebrate his father’s birthday and participate in a family reunion. What was going to be a happy moment has turned into a nightmare for him, our family and our friends.
‘This happened as a result of someone trying to misuse UAE law against them. He is charged with a crime that could carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years.
‘He is only 18, very scared and his mental health is starting to deteriorate. We have done everything we can to fight for his freedom, but now we urgently need to raise at least £20,000 to work towards his return home.
‘We have already spent everything we can on legal help and his housing needs while he stays to defend his case. We are doing our best, but we are struggling with funds to continue this fight. “Dubai’s legal system is very different to the UK and very expensive, which makes this whole experience even more challenging.”