Four charged with drug use, immoral activity in Sharjah

Sharjah - According to the UAE laws, the police only raid a house or flat if there is a complaint of immoral activity made.

Three Moroccan women have been charged with drug use, and the three, in conjunction with a Jordanian man, have also been charged with immoral or sinful activity, for living in the same apartment.
Sharjah police received a tip-off about three women residing in a flat in Al Mamzar area, and using drugs. During a raid on their place on June 2, police arrested the three accused - all in their twenties - and the fourth accused, a man. The police report states the three women were all semi-clad in the company of the man, and were using Tramadol.
The public prosecution has called for imposing strict penalties, as both drug abuse and members of the opposite sex living together without being related to each other, are Sharia Law violations.
At the court hearing on Sunday, the male suspect denied that the women were semi-naked in his presence, saying that they were fully dressed. He stated that the women were only his friends, and that he was merely visiting them at their apartment, and had never used any drug.
Of the three female accused, the first woman completely denied the drug charge, the second said she only consumed Tramadol as per medical prescription, while the third admitted to having the drug in her possession, without a medical prescription, but that she had not actually consumed it.
The accused man, who was released on bail, requested presiding judge Dr Yaqoub Al Hamadi to acquit him, as he had not been involved in either drug use or immoral activity.
The case is adjoured to August 28, when defence lawyer Abdulla Al Shahi will present his case.
Unaware of local laws
According to the UAE laws, the police only raid a house or flat if there is a complaint made against the occupants.
Later, if charged, the public prosecution and judge wil decide if the activity or situation was indeed illegal or not. A lawyer told Khaleej Times that as per Sharia law, it's illegal for men and women who are not blood relatives or not legally married, to share a living space or even sit together in cars with tinted windows.
Members of the public can inform the police in such a case.
amira@khaleejtimes.com