Raped Norwegian Expat Pardoned In Dubai

The Norwegian woman who was raped by a colleague on a business trip to Dubai has been "pardoned."  Marte Deborah Dalelv is free to leave Dubai. One would hope that women might think twice before choosing to live in a Middle Eastern country where such draconian laws can land a rape victim in jail. Being "pardoned" for being raped is as egregious as the sentence itself, though I'm happy that she can get the hell out of dodge.

A Norwegian woman at the center of a Dubai rape claim dispute said Sunday that officials have dropped her 16-month sentence for having sex outside marriage and she is free to leave the country.
"I am very, very happy," Marte Deborah Dalelv told The Associated Press. "I am overjoyed."
The sentence against the 24-year-old Dalelv last week stirred widespread outrage in the West and highlighted the frequent clash between Dubai's Western-friendly image and its Islamic-based legal codes.

Dalelv claimed she was raped in March by a co-worker, but was charged with having sex outside marriage after going to the police. Her decision to go public about the sentence last week in a series of interviews appeared to put pressure on authorities in Dubai and tarnish the city's reputation as a cosmopolitan hub, including possible fallout on its high-profile bid for the 2020 World Expo.

"I have my passport back. I am pardoned," said Dalelv, who worked for an interior design firm in Qatar and was in Dubai for a business meeting when the alleged rape took place.

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