A woman of Ukrainian descent and her fiancé from South Africa were detained in the United Arab Emirates for intimate relationships outside of marriage.
29-year-old Emlyn Calverwell from South Africa and 27-year-old Irina Nokhay of Ukrainian descent were arrested in the UAE after being examined by a doctor who revealed that the woman was pregnant.
Young people are detained for intimate relationships outside of marriage that are illegal in the UAE.
The BBC reports that Culverwell’s mother was begging for her son’s release, saying that “the only mistake they made was to fall in love.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Africa said it could not help the couple, since this is a matter of UAE law. They were advised to seek legal assistance.
It is known that Mr. Culverwell and Ms. Nohai were detained in January, but news of their arrest appeared only now.
Emlyn Calverwell has been working in the UAE for five years now.
The mother of the detainee told the media that the authorities were still conducting investigative actions, and no charges were brought.
If young people are found guilty, they face a long prison term.
