Marcus Fakana, 18, was arrested and sentenced to one year in prison after having consensual sex with a then-17-year-old British girl he met on holiday in Dubai where it is illegal to have sex under the age of 18.
A British teenager who was sentenced to one year in prison in Dubai is said to have spent the start of the New Year in “isolation” – as a protest to “bring him home” has been planned for the weekend.
Marcus Fakana, 18, was convicted of having sex with a then underage 17-year-old girl he shared a holiday romance, which is illegal under the age of 18 in Dubai. When the girl’s mother returned back to the UK, after seeing communication between the two, she reported the relationship to Dubai police who then arrested Marcus at his hotel.
The relationship would have been legal in the UK where both teenagers live as the age of consent is 16. The teen is now said to have spent New Year’s in isolation where he will be “held for a week” according to Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai who is assisting in his case.
The human rights expert took to X formerly known as Twitter, stating that the 18-year-old from Tottenham, London, was now unable to speak to family while undergoing health testing before his one-year bid begins at Dubai’s Al Awir prison. She tweeted: “Marcus Fakana spent New Year in isolation where he will be held for a week while undergoing health testing. He cannot call his family.”
The CEO further slammed the process stating that it was “outrageous” treatment of a “British teen” and that the girl’s mother should not have been allowed to file a complaint from abroad. She wrote: “What outrageous treatment of a British teen. The girl’s mother should not have been able to file a criminal complaint from abroad.”
After Marcus handed himself in to Dubai authorities, Radha shared that he was hoping for a pardon from the ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Marcus’s family along with Detained in Dubai have made several pleas for Foreign Secretary David Lammy stating that they felt abandoned by the British government since he was arrested.
When asked about the teenager’s case, David Lammy told Sky News : “It is the case wherever you are in the world – and that’s why the Foreign Office makes clear on its website what the rules are – that you follow the rules and the law according to that country,”
A protest has now been organised by a group said to be created by his family under the name Justice for Marcus F, which will take place on Saturday, December 4, at 12pm. People have been asked to join and walk from Parliament Square to Downing Street.
In an Instagram post, it read: “We have fought tirelessly as a family to bring our son Marcus home, and your unwavering support has been a source of strength throughout this journey. Yet, the fight is far from over. We remain determined to ensure that Marcus is not failed by the system.” The post added that the family was calling on the government to “take action”.
