Party 'defied public decency', court told

More than 20 people - including some policemen - took part in a wild party in the Rashidiya district.

DUBAI // More than 20 people - including an undisclosed number of policemen - took part in a wild party in the Rashidiya district that included pornographic material and alcohol, a court has heard.

Seventeen Emirati men and four Omani women appeared yesterday in the Dubai Court of Misdemeanours, charged with coercion and enticement to commit sin, illegal alcohol consumption and distribution, perjury, and possession and distribution of pornographic materials.

Public prosecution records show that the arrests took place on August 4 after officers at the Rashidiya police station were alerted to a party taking place at a villa. They found a number of large posters of naked women hung on the walls when they arrived.

"We received a call from a man in the area complaining about the house," one of the investigating officers told prosecutors. "We went to the villa and arrested them all. There were four girls in the villa with many men and they were all acting illicitly."

Prosecutors added the coercion and enticement to commit sin charges after officers found the party guests in "a position that defies public decency", the records stated. A large number of alcoholic drinks and bottles were also recovered at the scene. The maximum penalty for the coercion and enticement charge is one year in jail or a fine, according to Federal law.

Eleven of the 21 arrested appeared in court yesterday and denied the charges. Judge Jamal Abdel Majid adjourned the case to January 16.