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Dubai police nab 15 women posing NUDE on skyscraper balcony in broad daylight as video goes viral

The detainees were charged with six months in prison and a fine of around $1,383 for violating the public decency laws in the United Arab Emirates, that covers nudity and other lewd behavior

The Dubai police has arrested a group of people on charges of public debauchery in an incident that shocked the country's conservative society. The furore occurred over a widely shared video that showed naked women posing on a balcony in the city, authorities have said. Violations of the public decency law in the United Arab Emirates, including for nudity and other such 'lewd behaviour', may land one in upto six months in prison or carry the penalty of a 5,000 dirham ($1,360) fine.

Sharing of pornographic material is also punishable with prison time and may invite a fine of up to 500,000 dirhams ($1,36,130) under the country's laws, which are based on Islamic law, or the Shariah, which considers pornography a clear sin and, therefore, 'haram'.

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Late on Saturday, April 3, videos and photographs showing over a dozen women completely naked, standing lined up on a balcony while being filmed by a man in Dubai's upscale Marina neighbourhood in broad daylight, made the rounds on social media. The 15 models in the naked photoshoot were part of a publicity stunt for an Israeli website, which is believed to be a version of a US adult website and has not been named, the Daily Mail reported.

“Such unacceptable behaviours,” a Dubai police statement said, “do not reflect the values and ethics of Emirati society.” The statement added: “A criminal case has been registered against the arrested, and they have been referred to the Public Prosecution for further legal action.”

The statement adds, "Article 361 of the Federal Penal Code: 'Whoever publicly appeals, sings or engages in lewd speech, and whoever seduces others publicly into debauchery in any manner whatesoever, shall be punished by detention.'" The detainees were charged with six months in prison and a fine of around $1,383 for violating the public decency laws in the United Arab Emirates, that covers nudity and other lewd behavior.

The National, a State-linked newspaper, stated in its article that the incident was a publicity stunt, but did not elaborate further about the risque photoshoot. Internet users risked breaking the law by spreading the video on social media and forwarding it via WhatsApp, it further said. The incident came as a shock in the federation of seven Arab sheikhdoms, where acts like kissing in public or drinking alcohol without a licence has landed people in jail. 

The UAE has strict laws surrounding expression and social media, making it an offence to insult others or even use language where people feel insulted, reports The Sun. People have been jailed for their comments and videos online. UAE laws also forbid anything “defamatory” being written or spoken against the the country, which can even include the reportage of a news article, it said.

People took to Twitter to share their views on the scandalous incident. "#Dubai Twitter is alight with video of 10-12 naked women on a balcony in the Marina. That...would not have happened when I arrived in 2015, that’s for sure," said one. "Women arrested after stripping naked to pose on balcony in Dubai . They should be given a lesson : jail them; no more visas after having been jailed. Let's have a laugh dear police from UAE : get them naked when they go on the plane !!!," said another. "I don't understand why it's necessary for these people to Dare pose naked in an Islamic country..that's very disrespectful," said a third.