A Scottish man, who can be sentenced to a three-year prison term in the UAE for putting his hand on a man's hip in a bar, has showed up in court.
The man views the situation as a "cultural misunderstanding," saying that the move came unwillingly as he tried to avoid spilling his drink in a crowded bar.
According to reports, the police suddenly turned up and apprehended the young man who had no idea of what he was guilty of.
"I am really stunned that it has gone that far," Harron was quoted by the Sun as saying.
Apart from accusations of indecent behavior, Harron might also be punished for drinking alcohol.
Although alcoholic beverages are available in many bars and hotels in Dubai, which have a special license, tourists who drink alcohol can still be arrested, as alcohol consumption in public is considered illegal.
Toyeen B's World: UPDATE: British electrician, Jamie Harron, 27, locked up in Dubai jail for 'public indecency'https://t.co/HM6FXaqKXH pic.twitter.com/7nHzO3r7lB
— Oluwatoyin Balogun (@toyeenb) 9 октября 2017 г.
Remember all when you travel to and holiday at Dubai how they are treating Jamie Harron In jail for 3 months for touching a guy on his hip
— Gary Webster (@RealGaryWebster) 7 октября 2017 г.
I bet most people dont realise consuming alcohol is illegal in Dubai…..Briton Jamie Harron faces jail in Dubai bar https://t.co/GmOzNXbGJf pic.twitter.com/izSYmhBUTq
— The Byroms (@TheByroms) 7 октября 2017 г.
Harron was supposed to attend court on Sunday, but said the hearing took place in private and his lawyers hadn't been informed.
"Now it is possible that I will be arrested on Sunday for failing to appear at a court hearing that neither I, nor my lawyer, were advised of," the young man said, cited by the newspaper.
Human rights organizations fear that Harron might become subjected to abuse and even torture if arrested. Earlier, the man revealed that while he was held in Al Barsha prison with eight other detainees, he was not allowed to have a shower or brush his teeth and was forced to sleep on the floor.