DUBAI // Four men were cleared on charges of human trafficking but jailed for a year each after being found guilty of running a brothel.
Last October, Dubai Criminal Court was told the Vietnamese men beat a woman, locked her up and told her she would have to work as a prostitute after bringing her to Dubai with the promise of a job. They denied charges of human trafficking and running a brothel.
Between June 21 and 26 last year, one of them convinced the Vietnamese victim, 24, to come to the country.
The woman said she was picked up from Dubai International Airport and taken to a flat in International City where she was told she would be working as a prostitute.
“When I refused, I was beaten and locked up for three days. My attempts to escape failed,” said the woman, adding she threatened one of the defendants she would find a way to inform the embassy and police if he didn’t let her go.
“He told me I could leave if I paid for my own ticket. I arranged with my family back home who sent me a ticket and he drove me to the airport.”
At the airport she was told her embassy had lodged a police report after her family contacted them. She was referred to the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children by police who then raided the apartment.
“We raided the flat and found it was run as a brothel, where several woman worked as prostitutes,” an Emirati officer said.
The four defendants were arrested there.
During questioning, police said the men confessed to running the brothel in return for monthly wages.
The four were acquitted of human trafficking for lack of evidence but convicted of running a brothel and sentenced to a year in jail each to be followed by deportation.
The court ordered the apartment be shut down and the men be kept under observation during their imprisonment.
salamir@thenational.ae
