Dubai: A fashion designer and a tailor have been jailed for one month each after a policeman caught them wearing women’s clothes and underwear at a Dubai Metro station.
The policeman was said to have caught the 34-year-old Filipino designer, A.F., and his 44-year-old countryman tailor, W.L., cross-dressing at Al Rigga Metro Station in March.
When the Filipinos defended themselves before the Dubai Misdemeanours Court, they said they had been accustomed to wearing women’s clothes since childhood.
The defendants will be deported following the completion of their jail terms.
A.F. and W.L. have already appealed the verdict seeking leniency and to have the deportation order removed.
When questioned by the police, A.F. admitted that he was walking side by side with W.L. beside the station while dressed in women’s clothes and high heels.
“I’ve been living in the UAE for seven years and work in a fashion design place. Police arrested me because I was dressed like a woman. I had jeans, a woman’s shirt and a bra… I had make-up on as well. I have been dressing like a woman since I was eight,” A.F. testified to police interrogators.
W.L. said that he had been working in the UAE since 1999.
“I’ve been used to wearing women’s outfit since I was ten. I was busted wearing a dress, bra and high heels.”
He told the court he had used hormones so he would look like a woman.
The defendants are subject to appear before the Appeal Court later this month.
