Couple arrested for unwed sex in UAE released

JOHANNESBURG: A South African man and his pregnant Ukrainian fiancee will not face charges in the UAE  following their arrest for having sex outside of marriage, a South African newspaper reported Friday.

Charges against the couple were dropped in Abu Dhabi, The Herald reported. It quoted the South African's mother as saying her son telephoned to say he and the woman, who were released Wednesday on bail, would not be prosecuted.

"E.C. was excited and relieved to see I.O." after their release, the mother said, according to the newspaper.

The couple was arrested January 29 after the woman sought treatment for stomach cramps and a doctor informed authorities that she was pregnant, South African media reported.

The couple works at a waterpark in Abu Dhabi and has been living in the UAE for years. Their employer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.