UAE alcohol law: conviction of Scorpions drummer raises questions

Was American rocker James Kottak - drummer for Scorpions band - arrested for being drunk? A Dubai-based lawyer sheds some light.

The conviction of Scorpions drummer James Kottak for drinking alcohol without a licence, even though he was drinking on a flight over international airspace, again raises the spectre of flaws with the law as it stands.
According to UAE law, non-Muslim residents are allowed to drink alcohol. Some emirates, such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi, require a licence to be obtained from its municipality.
However, this does not give its holder the right to consume alcohol outside of his or her house.
Emirati lawyer Yousef Al Bahar, from Al Bahar Advocates, said this needs to be updated, especially when it comes to tourists whom are forgotten by the law.
A tourist definitely would go to court if caught involved in any problem and was found to be drunk at the time, he said.
"In this case of the drummer, what matters, according to the law, is that he was drunk at the time of committing the offence, regardless of where the act of consumption had taken place."
Mr Al Bahar thought the law should be amended to take tourists, and even transit passengers, into consideration.
"He [Kottak] would face the other charges, of course, but not the alcohol consumption," he said.
"There are many solutions, one being tourists can obtain a licence from the airport along with their visa, or when they buy their tickets once they provide what proves their religion."
[e-mail]