On July 5, two British tourists met at a champagne-filled brunch in Dubai. Hours later, they were arrested for having sex on a Dubai beach.

Their charges?

Sex outside of marriage, public indecency, and drunkenness. Why? Because it’s Dubai.

Though Dubai welcomes tourists from all over the world, the country itself is ruled by Islamic law (sharia). Dubai authorities worried that prosecuting the tourists would dissuade new tourists from visiting the country, for fear of further arrests. But today, the Britons were pronounced guilty and charged the equivalent of $350 US. They must also serve a three-month prison sentence, after which they will be deported from Dubai.

What is sharia?

Sharia (Islamic law) is derived from the sacred texts of Islam, including the Qur’an and the Sunnah (which details the actions and sayings of Muhammad). Like western courts, sharia still allows for trials, and you’re still innocent until proven guilty. But the laws themselves may be different at times:

“The only crimes that have predetermined penalties under Islamic law are the rejection or desertion of Islam, fornication, theft, adultery and homosexuality.”

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