Police in Dubai arrested a group of people on charges of public debauchery, officials said, through a widely shared video showing naked women posing on a city balcony.
Violations of the public decency law in the United Arab Emirates, including nudity and other “obscene behaviors”, carry sentences of up to six months in prison and a $ 1,360 fine. Sharing pornographic material is also punishable by imprisonment and heavy fines under the country’s laws, which are based on Islamic law, or Sharia law.
On Saturday night, videos and photographs depicting more than a dozen naked women – lined up on a balcony while being filmed in Dubai’s luxurious Marina district in broad daylight – appeared on social media. It was a shock to the federation of seven Arab sheikhs, where milder behavior, such as kissing in public or drinking alcohol without a license, put people in prison. The state-run National newspaper reported that it appeared to be an “advertising ploy” without giving further details.
Dubai police said the prisoners for the “indecent” video were referred to the prosecutor’s office.
“These unacceptable behaviors,” said the police statement, “do not reflect the values and ethics of Emirati society.”
The United Arab Emirates, although liberal in many ways compared to its Middle Eastern neighbors, have strict laws that govern expression. People were arrested for their comments and videos online. Most state-owned telecommunications companies in the country block access to the main pornographic sites.