Man and woman jailed for abortion

A man was sentenced yesterday to just over a year in jail and a woman to three years for sex crimes and carrying out an abortion in Mussafah.

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ABU DHABI // A man was sentenced yesterday to just over a year in jail and a woman to three years for sex crimes and carrying out an abortion in Musaffah.

The man, BM, a Syrian, was accused of having sex with SD, an Uzbeki, helping her have an abortion in a hotel room, then disposing of the foetus in a car-dealership lot. He was sentenced by the Criminal Court of First Instance to 13 months in prison.

SD was convicted of illegal sex, intentionally inducing labour, suppressing evidence of an abortion and prostitution. She was sentenced to three years.

Three other Uzbeki women, whose names were not disclosed, were acquitted of prostitution but sentenced to two months for being in the country illegally.

BM was acquitted of facilitating prostitution because there was not enough evidence.

SD initially confessed to taking abortion pills and having sex with BM, but retracted her statement after the judge told her she faced stoning if she confessed. She then pleaded not guilty and said the foetus was aborted naturally.

BM admitted taking the foetus to Musaffah and concealing it in a Ford dealership lot. He said he had met SD in a club but never had sex with her.