Nationwide — Marcus Fakana, an 18-year-old Black teen from Tottenham, North London, is facing a potential 20-year prison sentence in Dubai after being accused of having a relationship with a 17-year-old girl while on vacation. Marcus was arrested in August after the girl’s mother reportedly discovered their relationship and alerted authorities. Campaign group Detained in Dubai (DID) has been advocating for Marcus, highlighting his precarious situation in the United Arab Emirates, where the age of consent is 18.According to My London News, the incident began while Marcus was on vacation with his parents in Dubai. During their stay, he met a fellow Brit at the same hotel, and a holiday romance quickly developed. The girl, also from London, returned to Britain, but Marcus and his family planned to follow shortly after. However, their trip took a shocking turn when police arrived at their hotel room, taking Marcus in for questioning without explanation.
According to DID, Marcus was detained at Al Barsha Police Station for three days without being allowed to contact his parents or make a phone call. He later learned that the girl’s mother, unaware of their relationship at the time, had reported him to authorities after finding messages on her daughter’s phone. Marcus described his experience as terrifying and explained that his girlfriend had kept their relationship secret due to her strict family.
“I never thought something like this could happen,” Marcus said. “We liked each other and had a great time together. My parents knew, but she had to hide it from hers.