That's a ridiculous penalty from our perspective, but honestly the woman sounds pretty stupid as well. Of course you don't have public sex in Dubai. Isn't that just common sense and the minimum of respect for the culture of the country you're visiting?

I'm with Jude C. This woman can't be the brightest to think that it would just be an indecency ticket like it is here in the States. You can't travel to a foreign country and not take thier culture into consideration. By MY sensibilities, she doens't deserve 6 years in jail, but it's not my moral compass that governs the law in Dubai.

Well as inviting as the phallic symbol is in the back ground I would probably have done my home work before visiting a country whose customs are clearly foreign to my own. I hope they at least got to...well you know.

Never the less six years is extreme. I say give her the minimum and ban her from re-entry.

It is ridiculous, Jude C, but on the other hand, who would be stupid enough to go the Middle East to have public sex? Why not go to Israel to have a delicious pork dinner in the holy synagogue atop Masada during the Sabbath?

Exactly, rac!

Mmm. I want a delicious pork dinner now.

Agreed, Jude! Who would ever have sex on a public beach ANYWHERE for that matter???

And I have to say that I think she may be getting off lightly - sex outside of marriage is adultery and could be punishible by death under sharia/islamic law!!!

According to another source (http://www.telegraph.co.uk), these two had been warned first. They didn't listen and were found yet again... Not very smart!

I doubt that either party involved with this will serve the jail time. This is another case of stupid tourists doing even dumber things because they didn't bother to actually think.

"Who would ever have sex on a public beach ANYWHERE for that matter???"

Where's the romance?!

Hypo - I don't think it was for the romance. I still am wondering did she get sand in --well you all know.

Hey, hypno - there is plenty of romance here...it's just not out for public viewing!!

she thought it was called DO-me-BAI-the-beach. har har har

Def, sex on a beach is only romantic in movies, hypno. I reality it's awkward, uncomfortable and takes a lot of time to get sand out of your mouth and/or crevices.

ROFL at Dubai being the Las Vegas of the Middle East lol that just cracked me up.

6 years seems extreme, however I'm in agreement with those who say she doesn't seem too bright. I mean did she travel to a foreign country to have sex in public thinking that she'd get away with it? That they wouldn't be able to punish her if she got caught? Or was it more because she wouldn't know anyone there so she wouldn't care if anyone saw her doing it? lol and now the whole world knows. She clearly didn't think this through.

Well I think we can all agree that having sex in public view is simply not acceptable. However, in the very descret dead of night when no one else is around sex in the great outdoors the beach included in my experience has been nothing short of expectation.

Glad to hear it lived up to your expectations, hypno!

Well I think we have alot of "maximum" punishments here that are extreme and that have been given to defendants to "set an example" (especially when it comes to drug dealing). I don't feel sorry for this couple. I don't understand how in this day and age you can make this mistake ANYWHERE in the middle east, ESPECIALLY if it's true that they had been warned! how stupid.

Hypno I agree sex in the great outdoors under the stars is wonderful! (still not sure I could do it on the beach though lol)

She sounds like an idiot, should she go to jail for stupidity? no. Just ban her from re-entry and let her be on her merry way. I think any sentence, particularly a six year sentence offends the universal understanding of human rights. One of the charges is for having sex out of marriage, really?

Liberty, I am curious on your meaning of human rights. Do you mean the right to have sex?

@ Hypo and Kim

While it is a tough sentence the woman and her partner faces, you do have to go by the laws of the land while you are visiting...and honestly they should have known better. I hope the romp on the beach was worth it..

Yes! Let's hope it was the best sex of their lives!

Hi Great Sommelier,

I was thinking along the lines of cruel punishment (as prohibited by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights).

I'm not completely certain where I stand on the dilemma between cultural norms and the notion universal norms; but, something tells me that a disproportionate punishment can offend a widespread standard. Do you guys think this would be a disproportionate punishment?

I'm wondering who would think 6 years in jail for this would be considered torture?

I read about this yesterday, apparently she had been living there for 3 years before this, so she had no excuses as to not knowing the laws of the land. And then to hear they were initially given a warning, and then got back down to it - how stupid can you get? She deserves to be made an example of. She had more than enough opportunity to escape this and she chose not to. It's about time somebody showed all these western travellers that they have to have more respect for the laws of the countries they are visiting.

"she deserves to be made an example of"

I simply don't agree with making an example of people (though I'm sure there would be exceptions) There's nothing fair and just about making an example of someone.

I agree that it isn't just to "make and example" of someone, em, but as chicagojlo points out, she was living and working there and they had been warned before being arrested. I say that they should get the local punishment. To my senses, 6 years is a heavy price to pay, but I am not from Dubai. Someone local may not feel that way.

ugh! typing!

"make AN example" ....

Liberty ~ I don't think this offends international human rights. That's more for if a government tortures or threatens or kills people. This is a punishment for something that is considered indecent there, and though six years is heavy, they are 'just' putting her in prison, not hurting her. Going there, she should have respected their rules.

Well I think it's also fair to note that she's *facing* six years...that doesn't mean she will necessarily receive six years. If their justice system is anyway like ours, she'll serve six months!

Just want to point out that she is from the UK, not the states.

I do think 6 years is a way too harsh of punishment, but didn't she get stopped by an officer once, and then continue with her rendevous only to get caught again?

I do think that the sentance would be too harsh, but I don't have much sympathy for her. It isn't really an obscure or unexpected law.

Wow.... My sister was in Dubai this past weekend!

Don't do it on a beach anywhere!! I don't think this could be considered the same as human rights abuse. She and her partner are facing the same sentence and it is the law for that government. I don't think she should be "made an example" but she didn't respect the laws of her host country and should face the sentence. She could have prevented this whole ordeal by heading the first warning.

She's not just some tourist, she WORKS in Dubai! Anyone who has spent more than just holiday time there (actually, anyone with half a brain) should know the culture & the customs. She is a f*cking idiot (pardon my french) for thinking she could get away with something like that.

first she too damn old to be having sex on the beach, she should know better than that. i can understand why they would give her harsh penalties being majority Muslim country but it is a little harsh.

She got what she deserved! Sex in a public place in the middle east? Are your serious?

Yea 6 years is a little too hard but hey, their country - their rules.

See what drinking and flirting can do for you.

I would not even chew gum or wear a short skirt there. She knew the consequences. It's not up to us to judge.

Idiot. It may be Dubai and they may have more freedoms but sex on the beach in a Muslim country? C'mon!

And, no age is not too old to be spicing up his/her sex life with some semi-public sex i.e. a location where unwanted strangers can't *easily* find you. The beach would not be the place unless it is a private one.

I read about this on Hot Air. I'm sorry, but the woman had been living in Dubai for 3 years before this happened. She should have known better. Yes it's ridiculous to be sentenced to 6 years in jail by our standards but she was living there and she should have conformed to their standards, not ours...

omg is that woman stupid? she almost deserves 6 years because of her stupidy. Being in a middle eastern country and letting loose like that basically promies that you'll get in trouble. Remember 'brokendown palace', they got caught with drugs in Thailand and spent the rest of their lives in a Thai prision...sh*t not me!

The beach is fun...if you don't mind getting sunburnt on supicious places.

def agree its common sense not to have sex on the beach (part from the drink) but i was reading they were very drunk, still very stupid, but 6 years is insane.

even skype is illegal in dubai. This country has sooo many restrictions that they dont talk about.