A sober reminder

In case anyone was distracted by the pretty lightshow at the opening of the Burj Khalifa, the country of Dubai has decided to remind the world that they're still a backward, barbaric country.

A British woman who made a rape complaint in Dubai has been arrested for having illegal sex with her fiance, according to reports. The woman, a 23-year-old from London, said she was raped by a waiter in a luxury hotel after celebrating her engagement to her 44-year-old boyfriend, also from London.

But when she reported the alleged rape to police in the Middle Eastern state she and her boyfriend were arrested for having sex outside marriage and illegal drinking outside licensed premises.

They [her and her fiancee] could face up to six years if found guilty of having sex outside marriage.

Never mind that she was raped. Never mind that she's not from Dubai. The authorities arrested her because of some obscene religious-based decency law forbidding all sex outside of wedlock.

They may be able to build huge buildings and awesome amusement parks, but Dubai is still apparently locked in the dark ages. This is an outrage.