Norwegian woman had been charged for sex outside marriage.
Kamran Jebreili/AP
The fact that she has to be "pardoned" makes this still horrifying. Dubai pardoned a Norwegian woman who was charged with having extramarital sex after she reported a rape to the police. The woman, Marie Deborah Dalelv, had gone to the police after allegedly being raped by a co-worker in March, but she was instead charged and her sentence began last week. She went public last week to pressure the authorities in Dubai—and to challenge the city’s attempt to be known as modern. Dalelv said she is “overjoyed” her sentence is over. She has her passport back and plans to leave the United Arab Emirates soon.
