Dubai: A salesman and a female visitor who publicly drank juice during daytime in Ramadan were each fined Dh1,000 for breaking article 313 of the Federal Penal Code.
The Dubai Court of Misdemeanours found 30-year-old Lebanese salesman, S.O., and 28-year-old Russian woman, O.D., guilty of violating the Federal Penal Code, thus marking the first verdict of its kind since Ramadan started on September 1 this year.
The couple were caught publicly drinking juice in the waiting room of an Eppco station before iftar.
The duo pleaded not guilty and asked for leniency as they were non-Muslims and were unaware that their act was punishable by law here.
Offence
A Public Prosecution source explained that eating or drinking in public before sunset during Ramadan is classified as a crime, which offends religious faith and rituals.
"The punishment against such a crime is a maximum one month imprisonment or a maximum Dh2,000 fine... it depends on the judge's discretion," said the source.
An Arab witness, identified as T., spotted the couple drinking juice in a station. He reported them to the police, who referred the duo to court.
The ruling is still subject to appeal.