Scottish man jailed for touching man in a Dubai bar has been freed

A man who was sentenced to prison in Dubai after accidentally touching a man’s hip in a bar has been freed, according to his representatives.

Jamie Harron, from Stirling, Scotland, was sentenced to three months for public indecency on Sunday after he was arrested in July. He said that he touched the man on the hip to steady himself and make sure he didn’t spill a drink as he moved past him in a busy bar. Campaigners from the group Detained in Dubai, which had been supporting Mr Harron, said all charges against the 27-year-old have been dismissed and his sentenced overturned on the order of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum. A spokesperson for the group said that cops called Mr Harron on Monday morning, telling him that “the case had been dismissed, and that he should come in to collect his passport.” Those supporting Mr Harron initially feared that he would be lured into “a trap” and be detained by police once again. Radha Stirling, chief executive of Detained in Dubai, explained:

“He was understandably nervous; as similar calls from the police in other cases were merely tactics to lure individuals into police custody. “But when Jamie arrived at the police station, his passport was returned, and he was told that he was free to go. The charges were dropped, the sentence annulled, and he faces no order for deportation. “This came by direct order from Sheikh Mohammed.”

Mr Harron, who was working in Afghanistan at the time, planned to make a two-day visit to the tourist destination when the incident happened. He later lost his job following his arrest and was told that he could be facing years in prison. Ms Stirling said that his case highlighted a “urgent need for judicial reform in the country”. She added:

“We wish to express our deepest gratitude to Sheikh Mohammed for his personal intervention in this case, and for exonerating Jamie at long last. “It has now been established that the allegations against Jamie were entirely unwarranted, defamatory, and meritless; to such an extent that the Ruler of the country found it necessary to step in and correct the wrongful action of the Public Prosecutor and to quash the judgment of the court. “This was a courageous and honourable decision on the part of Sheikh Mohammed, and while it highlights the urgent need for judicial reform in the country, it is also a hopeful sign that the UAE’s leadership possesses the will and vision to pursue such reforms in the future,”