Two women charged with indecent behaviour at public beach

By Bassam Za'za', Senior Reporter

Published: May 20, 2008, 18:21

Dubai: Two women on Tuesday stood trial for kissing and cuddling at a public beach.

The women, a 30-year-old Lebanese visitor and 36-year-old Bulgarian employee, pleaded not guilty to kissing, cuddling and sleeping ‘like married couples' before the Dubai Court of Misdemeanors.

The Public Prosecution charged the women with kissing, groping each other and indecently gesturing in public.

The women, who are currently on bail, denied the charges during Tuesday's hearing.

Initial interrogations revealed that the women were spotted being intimate together on a public beach between Sharjah and Dubai. Witnesses claimed that they saw the Lebanese woman sleeping over the Bulgarian and the two were cuddling.

The suspects were arrested by Sharjah police who later referred them to Dubai's Public Prosecution because the incident fell beyond its jurisdiction.

The judge adjourned the case for a ruling.

A judicial source confirmed to Gulf News that this is believed to be the first case of its kind in the country.