DUBAI // A journalist who molested a woman in a supermarket told appeals court judges on Tuesday he was neither sick nor sexually deprived.
The Egyptian expatriate, 31, was sentenced in November to three months’ imprisonment and deportation. He was convicted at Dubai Criminal Court of touching the woman, 31, from Malaysia, as she bent over to load her shopping trolley on the night of July 12 last year.
The man told the Court of Appeal on Tuesday: “According to the latest studies, to molest a woman who is wearing a hijab and has three children in her company, one has to be either sick or sexually deprived, and I am neither sick nor sexually deprived – how can I if I have only been married for one month?”
He said he had written several essays and articles and had been involved in campaigns to encourage Arab women to report men who molested or raped them, and he showed the judges images, figures and documents to support his case.
“The corridor where the incident allegedly happened is 75 inches wide and I am 45 inches wide. This alone kills the theory of intentional touching,” he said.
“Besides, the woman said she yelled at me, and if you yell at someone in a shopping mall or a street, people around will start looking, turning their heads. But look here at these images, your honour, at the time of the alleged incident. Look how people around us are normal, none of them turning a head or gazing.”
He showed another picture to the judges, and said: “Why would I touch this covered woman who has kids with her but not this one?”, and pointed at another woman in the photo.
Concluding his appeal, the journalist said: “Your honours, I believe at this point prison is more merciful to me, because since this happened, I have lost my job and have been unable to leave the country.” At the original trial, the Malaysian woman told prosecutors: “I was with my children and reached for some eggs. As I lowered to place them in my trolley, a man squeezed on my behind and when I turned around, calling at him, he just did not care and continued walking away from me.”
The woman said she chased the man and stopped him. “I asked him why he would do that during the holy month and he said he was sorry and that it happened by mistake.
“I told him I would call police, so he left, but as I was leaving the shop I saw him apprehended outside.”
A verdict in the appeal is expected on Sunday.
salamir@thenational.ae