Bahrain Woman Jailed For Kissing In Public

Gulf News reports that Bahrain jailed a woman for 20 days for kissing in public and then arguing with the police over the incident.

The couple was caught by a police patrol as they were getting intimate inside a car, according to the court papers. However, when the police wanted to arrest them for "indecent behaviour in public", the woman shouted at one of the officers, saying that what she and the man were doing was "none of their business".

She was eventually arrested and the Lower Criminal Court convicted her of public indecency and insulting a policeman carrying out his duties. The Bahraini man is being tried separately.

The BBC reports that "light displays of affection" like holding hands is allowed in Bahrain, but kissing in public crosses the line.

And having sex in pubic? A female student was sent to prison for three months for having sex with her boyfriend in a carpark. What if any legal action was taken against the male counterpart engaged in this illegal activity was not reported.

Get HuffPost World On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[mergina]

The miserable men and abuse in the Muslim world towards women. I hope what is happening in Iran actually creates change and equality and serves as a model for HOW TO END THE ABUSIVE RULE OF MEN throughout the rest of the Muslim world. Why do all religions HATE WOMEN?

[research]

I gave a very old example of US arrests for kissing, here's some more recent ones:

http://origin.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,243264,00.html

In 1996 a six-year-old named Johnathan Prevette, a first grade student in North Carolina kissed a classmate innocently on the cheek. His teacher reported him to the principal, Lisa Horne, who ordered him to spend the day in detention. While this is asinine, this isn’t what made this kiss famous. After appearing on a local radio show, the mother’s story spread until the U.S. Department of Education rewrote the sexual harassment guidelines to omit kisses by first graders.

An FBI affidavit said the two were “embracing, kissing and acting in a manner that made other passengers uncomfortable.” Kissing in public is an act of terrorism?

http://sequim-port-angeles-newspapers.com/photogallery/innocent-convicted-of-terrorism-on-airplanes/

[NilesCrane]

Classy, real classy....

I bet they thought they were doing a good thing, they probably thought it was to protect woman so other men dont get jealous or have a craving for sex...

If thats the case, then the men in that society have a serious problem controlling themselves...

You know there are alot of really poor people who would do anything for a better life, But I cant think of any other society where the men have such problems controlling themselves, that they would blow themselves up...do they not think before they do any of this stuff?

[festry548]

Please tell me it was Michael Jackson.

[Rog49Thomas]

He's out of the country.

A local Sheikh -- owner of Two Seas Records (a play on the name of Bahrain) -- is suing MJ for failing to honor a contract to cut an album with TSR.

There was a picture that one of my Gulf buddies showed me of MJ dressed in an abaya (women's garb) and shopping at some down market store at a down market mall in the country. It was in one of the local newspapers. Shortly, after the picture was out, so was MJ.

Here's another view if you're interested.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1086607/Michael-Jackson-failed-4-6million-music-deal-says-Bahraini-prince.html

[festry548]

Aw, darn it all, you ruined my joke! :-(

[Rog49Thomas]

First, it's important to know that the press in Dubai and Bahrain (where there is a bit of rivalry) often report on one another in less than flattering ways.

Second, there have been incidents of folks being arrested for having sex in cars. This story sounds a bit "fishy" - it specifically says "as they were getting intimate". There is a difference between intimate and kissing even in the Arab World.

But they do have their strict morals somethimes
On 2 June a Bahraini husband was jailed for a month for beating his wife.
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/newsdetails.aspx?srch=1&storyid=252240

Three Bahrainis who raped a Filipina woman were sentenced to 15 years each.
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/newsdetails.aspx?srch=1&storyid=252973

A Bahraini who phoned in a bomb threat to his university to avoid exams was jailed for one year and fined BD 5,000 (roughly $13,000) May 13
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/newsdetails.aspx?srch=1&storyid=250450

[truthartbeauty]

nothing backwards about that 'religion'

[AndWeCallOurSelvesCivil]

Religion?

It can be blamed on any Religion.

Don't blame Islam, A little over a century ago Jewish and Christian governments also followed the same rules; and in a lot of cases even worse.

[NilesCrane]

well that was a century ago, we have moved on from than..this relgion is still 500 years behind the times...

[jl4141]

Good thing there was no tongue involved -- otherwise they would have been charged with aggravated kissing in the third degree.

[NURREDIN]

Why do we keep supporting these stupid monarchies? The people are oppressed,but as long as we keep the oil flowing,that's all that matters. Why don't we tell them we'll remove our fleet if they don't start recognizing people's human rights? This garbage is why we have an Al Qaeda now. People in the Middle East are sick of the monarchies and the theocracies,but OUR military keeps them in power. Remember,the Al Khobar barracks were bombed because our troops are there to keep the Saudi monarchy in power. We invaded Kuwait and reinstalled the monarchy when the people asked for the right to vote. The United Arab Emirates are all Sheikhdoms protected by the U.S. and British military. When do we stop assisting this madness and demand democracy in EVERY country in the Middle East,not just the ones we don't like? Even Obama said NOTHING about president for life Mubarak in Egypt. What the he** difference is there between a king and a "president for life"? We are going to remain hated until we allow these people to have the same democracy we have.

[Paula Ann]

Unfortunately, it's easier to deal with an Emir, King, or President for Life than with a Democratic Society.

[Martampa]

Do you think that it is the USA's business to tell other countries what their mores and values should be? When we start DEMANDING that Middle Eastern countries become democracies we are then no different than what you think they are. Do we have a right to demand that these countries recognize human rights when we have thousands of people living on streets and millions without jobs or any means to see a doctor? Have you ever been to the Middle East? I lived in Al Khobar and Riyadh for 5 years and felt more safe walking along the street there than I have ever felt walking in an American city.

[Pema]

nurredin...we cannot allow anyone anything. we cant run our own country...look at the examples of king hussie of jordon, beloved by his people, the democracy of syria, which we say is an awful place...so, its not monarchies (which some northern european countries still have) that is the problem, its having enlightened leadership. we have a democracy and we had gero w bush for 8 years...

[protagonia]

Terrible press for the place that manufactured some of the world's worst individuals.

[Just2stressed]

My goodness, which century do these people live in? Thank goodness for freedom.

[truthartbeauty]

its not even a matter of what century. this depraved insane thinking is ALWAYS the result of some hideous religion!

[NilesCrane]

What i dont understand is why anyone would care if someone kissed in public. I want to know who enforced this law, who are these men who made this law up? do they not have anything better to do? Are all these men who make the laws married? or are they forced to be single and are really secretly gay and jealous of woman? Do they think it protects woman? are their men so out of control that they cannot control themselves with woman present? If thats the case then it says alot about their society....

[iv64]

Please!!! I know it sounds ridiculous to us to have these laws but we have some ridiculous laws of our own. Lets not toot our own horns with how free we are. Just recently 6 members of my family were having a morning coffee and cupcakes in a local park to celebrate my 4 year old niece's birthday when we were thrown out because we did not have a picnic permit. In New York City! A wife had her husband jailed because apparently it is illegal to commit adultery in the state of Connecticut. We just have different ridiculous laws and we accept them and then point our fingers at people that have ridiculous laws and make judgments about it. As soon as we have a perfect society we can judge others.

I don't agree with being arrested for kissing in your own car or anywhere in public for that matter, lets all kiss and hug everywhere, everyone, maybe we will be a nicer world but I think we are very quick to judge others.

[ginxy]

So until our society is magically perfect, we shouldn't point out things that are wrong in our world?

Absolute non-action. You have to start somewhere!

[Paula Ann]

Maybe at home?

[NilesCrane]

its not perfect, but its 100 times better..

[nellie]

Did they jail the man, too?

[davidwayneosedach]

Hopefully by the time they are kissing in the street they are aware of the country's laws against it.

[dispassionateobserver01]

huh?

How is the car a public place?

It was their car wasn't it?

I suspect they were arrested because they got offended that the police were peeking into their car and the lady was rude to the cops.

[Travis bdboy]

No wonder they're revolting

[madfigs]

Bahrain is not in Iran...

[jajenkins]

Actually, some argue that it is - quite literally.