Job Discussion Forums

[veiledsentiments]

Just a little evidence that in spite of Dubai's *liberal* reputation, one must be careful. Just like a similar high profile case 10-15 years ago, this one ended up in court because the husband of the woman reported her. We have all known couples living together... even for years... in the Gulf. But all it takes is an angry neighbor or ex- to call in the cops. These two are getting off lightly with only one more month to serve until their deportation. But... I've been told that the jails are not air conditioned...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090602/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_dubai_britain_adultery_1

[007]

Well, VS, what is the punishment of a wife's infidelity in USA?
I have heard that the punishment for such crime in Michigan is a life sentence!

[veiledsentiments]

[johnslat]

Dear veiledsentiments,
Actually, he's right - I looked it up.

"Most western countries have de-criminalised adultery. Adultery is not a crime in most countries of the European Union, including Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland or Sweden.
In the United States, laws vary from state to state. In those States where adultery is still on the statute books, even though they are rarely prosecuted, the penalties vary from life sentence (Michigan)[31], a fine of $10 in (Maryland), or a Class I felony in (Wisconsin) [32]. In the U.S. Military, adultery is a potential court-martial offense.[10] The enforceability of adultery laws in the United States has been / is being questioned following Supreme Court decisions since 1965 relating to privacy and sexual intimacy of consenting adults, in cases such as Lawrence v. Texas."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adultery

Regards,
John
P.S. It's not only on wiki, but a lot of other sites, too, jurisprudence sites

[veiledsentiments]

There are a ton of silly laws left on the books that haven't been used for donkey's years. The key factor is when was the last time either charges were brought or anyone was punished for this.

The only thing anyone can get from adultery in the US these days is grounds for divorce. And I'd say that has been true for most of our adult life at the least.

VS

[seven seas]

But some people will dig up childish irrelevancies any chance they get

[Splitting Hairs]

An Islamic court in Nigeria has dismissed the appeal of a woman who had been sentenced to death by stoning for adultery.
Amina Lawal, a divorcee, was convicted by a court in Katsina state for bearing a child outside marriage.

Under the Islamic (Sharia) law introduced in the majority Muslim states of northern Nigeria, execution by stoning is the prescribed punishment.

(Sept 2002 - BBC)

US Today January 2009
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) � Two men convicted of adultery were stoned to death in northeastern Iran last month but a third convicted man managed to escape, Iran's judiciary spokesman said Tuesday.
Ali Reza Jamshidi said the stoning took place in the city of Mashhad in late December but did not provide the names of the convicted men.

Under Iran's Islamic law, adultery is punishable by stoning, but such sentences are rare. International human rights groups have long criticized stoning in Iran as a cruel form of punishment.

Jamshidi did not describe how the stonings were carried out. But typically under Islamic rulings, a man is buried up to his waist, while a woman is buried up to her neck. Those carrying out the verdict then throw stones until the person dies. If the person manages to escape from the hole, he or she will remain free under Islamic law.

"Given that the third person managed to pull himself out of the hole, the verdict was not carried out," Jamshidi told reporters.

[Neil McBeath]

If you read the original report, you will see that the couple were denounced to the police by the lady's British husband, a Mr. Vince Antia.

Under those circumstances, the Dubai police really had no alternative but to go ahead with an arrest, and if it was Mr. Antia's intention to break up his wife's liaison, then he has probably succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.

In the light of 007 and John Slattery's information, however, the question remains whether it would be possible for someone with sufficient power - a state judge, for example - to insist that the letter of the law be carried out in Michigan.

[Zoot]

I wonder if Mr Vince Antia had any clue about what was actually going to happen! Probably thought they'd bring his wife home to him and the kids. Talk about a woman scorned!

[BrownSauce]

Hmm, presumably a married woman could do the same - shop her philandering husband, and get him sentenced to a few months of UAE chokey?

In which case, there should be a lot of worried faces at Abu Dhabi's Ally PAlly every night...

[Sheikh N Bake]

No judge in the U.S. would dare impose such a silly and anachronistic adultery sentence (life in prison). Not only would it arouse a national groundswell of anger, it would soon be struck down in the next court of appeals as unconstitutional. Indeed, I have never heard of any such sentence for adultery in the history of western civilization in North America. Not even in 1620s Puritan society. (A little stockade time, shunning and a Scarlet Letter or two, I would imagine.) I might be wrong there, but at least I've never heard of such a thing.

[veiledsentiments]

Don't forget the old Scarlet Letter, SnB...

[jdl]

I tried to find some numerical information on the frequency and severity of punishment for adultery in the US. I did find that many states have laws which are not generally enforced but 'on the books' The most thorough review of the 'crime and punishment' of adultery state by state came on an 'ultra pro white/christian - anti everthing else site'. Man if they had their way the case in Dubai would be buried on page 52 because of its moderation.

[veiledsentiments]

Yes, they would want to go back to what happened with the first case in Dubai that made such a splash. In that one, the pregnant woman and the new boyfriend that she was living with were both sentenced to flogging, years of prison, followed by deportation. The pregnancy delayed her flogging until the British government managed to get them turned loose, but they were in prison for quite some time. I can't recall if the man received any of his flogging or not.

That website surely considers bombing buildings and murdering doctors to be justified too if their extreme religious beliefs are not shared.

VS