Dalelv, who was sentenced to 16 months in prison in Dubai for illicit sex after she reported being raped, says she has no regrets about coming forward if her warning will protect others from a similar fate. PHOTO: REUTERS
"I was told that I've been pardoned," Marte Dalelv, 24, told reporters outside a Dubai court, adding that her passport had been returned and she would leave the Gulf state "as soon as possible".
In Oslo, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide also said that Dalelv was being allowed to leave the United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is a member.
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Will the Arab nation behave in the same way for a non-European woman? No...Because they believe in the same Hudood Ordinance that we do have here. Salams
For all it glistenening sky scapers and busy markets, Dubai is still in its infancy as a developed country. How does one accuse and pardon a rape victim, only these sheikhs could know.
Wow, so generous of them to 'pardon' her. Of course it is her fault - she is a woman and a non-arab at that! Have heard of a Indian national being jailed for a driving offence - when his car was hit by another car which crossed the median - of course that car was being driven by a Saudi national. Logic being if the Indian hadn't been driving on his side of the road, the Saudi's car would have crossed and hit the kerb on the other side. What fantastic justice!
Did you hear about the newly wed Pakistani couple caught doing "something" in their car with darkened windows ? Yes, in Dubai.
Apparently they had a good lawyer as he got them off with "invasion of privacy".
Say what ? In a car in a public place ? Dubai never ceases to amaze me.
@amit (India): Western conspiracy to take attention away from Dr. Aafia Her ex-husband not forgotten her criminal mindset and torture she inflicted upon him.
Thats horrible what has happened to the lady.
And the arabs cry discrimination when they are just searched at the airport in the west.
I think this may be a Western conspiracy to take attention away from Dr. Aafia Siddiqi. Jew owned western media bashes an Islamic country for treatment of women and suddenly everyone is talking about how backward and primitive they are, and poor doctor has been forgotten entirely.
@Arzoo: "Fortunately in this case, good sense ultimately prevailed, but after a little bloodied nose for Dubai in the international arena."
Guess what, Nobody really cares about such 'Good Sense' and their 'little bloodied nose'. All the rest of the World needs from these medievel guys is Oil.
@maria: Poor commentator, there is no mullah in Dubai. Dubai can do anything for money try yourself.
that right first rape them then pardon them ,,,...pathetic mullah mentality
She should not have been pardoned. She had pre martial sex and should have been punished according to the law. But alas Muslims have to give in to western demands. We must stand up to hypocrite west.
I wonder who's going to pardon Dubai?
@Vishnu Dutta: She had reported to be raped by a co-worker while visiting and staying at an hotel in Dubai. She herself works in Qatar. The co-worker was sentenced to 13 months in jail, not on rape charges, but on something else, I am not recalling with certainty right now. But, after filing the police report, the police booked her for 'extra-marital sex' and 'public drunkenness,' both crimes in the Emirates. However, these charges are customarily not enforced on the foreign nationals and expatriate workers, but in her case they did, for reasons which are not clear. Emirate officials are usually mum on these matters and do not elucidate their policies clearly, and unsuspecting foreign tourists, mainly from Europe, get caught in unfortunate situations every now and then. Fortunately in this case, good sense ultimately prevailed, but after a little bloodied nose for Dubai in the international arena.
Being a Pakistani & a Muslim, I am so ashamed of how rape victims are treated in Muslim countries including Pakistan. Laws need to evolve through Islamic concept of Ijtihad. We cannot live in 21st century with 14th century rules. I read a stat recently that 70%(or so) of women prisoners in Pakistan are the ones who reported rape. If that is not inviting curse of God , what else is. If this is state of affair, it absolutely does not matter how pious we pretend to be or how much Islam we wear on our sleeves.
We do not know the full story, she was rapped and she does not have 4 witness who have seen actual penetration? Than she was charged for Zena ? and than latter pardon of the crime which was committed by some high and mighty.
one headline news in cnn and dubai authorities could not bear the pressure of westen media and the European nation. Poor Arabs, they can only do injustice with poor nations and their citizen as in the case of beating of an indian by an Arab emirates citizen during day light on busy road in Dubai. The Indian govt did not take any stand for him. This is the double standard and the reality for all of us.
@Vishnu Dutta: She was raped, and was charged with extramarital sex and alcohol consumption when she went to the police.
A country does not become civilized by just building tall towers.
ET please explain that whether she raped some one or she was a victim? Its not clear with your report.
In either case it is very disturbing.
They may so called "pardon" the person raped. Allah will not forgive this so called forgivers
Nathan
@zK: Hahaha I reckon Indian will never come out of Pakistan phobia, I mean never ever at any cost.
And i thought such stupidity happened only in pakistan where the poor woman prefers to keep silent instead of reporting the crime against her....shameful for the dubai authorities.
She never did anything to be pardoned for in the first place!