Austrian rape victim returns from Dubai – but may still face charges of having sex outside marriage
The 29-year-old was arrested when she reported the attack
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.An Austrian woman has returned home from Dubai nearly two months after she filed rape charges that led to authorities there briefly jailing her and taking her passport.
The 29-year-old woman, who is believed to be Muslim, landed in Vienna on Thursday, after intervention by the Austrian Foreign Ministry.
But Foreign Ministry official Michael Linhart said on Friday that it was unclear whether she still faces charges in Dubai of having sex outside marriage, which is illegal in the United Arab Emirate capital.
The woman told authorities on 1 December that she was raped by a Yemeni citizen in a hotel garage.
But she was subsequently jailed for three days and her passport was confiscated as police weighed whether to charge her with consuming alcohol and having extramarital sex.
The case echoes that of a Norwegian woman, who was briefly jailed last year for similar reasons. She was sentenced to 16 months in prison, but was allowed to leave instead of serving her term.
Additional reporting by Associated Press
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments