A Briton tourist who was arrested for wearing traditional Arab women's clothing was cleared of violating public morals at the Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday, reported the Gulf News.
Philip Hulks, 55, had been wearing a veil and abaya in the gold souq when he was stopped and questioned by police on July 8.
An officer had become suspicious after spotting underclothing usually worn by Arab men trailing from under the abaya, and arrested him when he realized he was not a woman.
Hulks, a retired electronics engineer, denied the charge in court and said he had bought the outfit as a surprise gift for his wife, said the paper.
He said that he had been trying the clothes on as she is the same size and was looking for a shop with a mirror when he was stopped by the police.
The court judge ruled that Hulks' attire contradicted general standards of decency expected by UAE society, but was not against the law.
He said in his written judgement that a man dressed as a woman raises suspicion, especially as it would enable him to come into closer contact with women who make up the majority of shoppers in souqs. Accordingly, women would feel safe having another woman close to them without realizing the person was really a man, he said.
But the judge ruled that Hulks had not committed a violation of public morals as he had not made any immoral gestures or signs – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
