‘Brits risk arrest by not checking local laws and customs'

Half of all women who sunbathe topless do so without first checking if it is against the law in their holiday destination, according to new research.

This means that hundreds of thousands of women are running the risk of getting into trouble with the law, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office warned.

The study also found that one in seven men admitted to having had sex in a public place on holiday.

The FCO is reminding people to check out local laws and customs before taking such risks in the wake of several recent high profile cases involving British travellers being arrested abroad, such as the couple caught having sex on a beach in Dubai.

One in 20 men also confessed to mooning or streaking on holiday, meaning that more than 500,000 have risked arrest and a fine, according to the FCO.

"In Corfu, there have been various cases of British nationals being charged with indecent public exposure for ‘mooning', often at local police," the FCO said.

"Problems do often spring from Brits visiting countries with unfamiliar laws and customs and falling foul of the law without even realising they have done anything wrong.

"The recent case involving the group of ‘nuns on the run' in Greece who were imprisoned for two days on charges of "causing a scandal by provocative acts and misrepresenting a uniform", highlights the importance of researching your destination before you travel.

"Even stricter laws apply in Abu Dhabi where kissing in public is considered an offence, yet over half of Britons travelling abroad have done so, possibly risking prosecution and a fine."

The FCO also alerted gay travellers that homosexuality is illegal in many popular holiday destinations including Morocco and Goa.

There were several incidents in Morocco last year where individuals were charged, resulting in one Briton being imprisoned for three months.

The FCO's Know Before You Go campaign manager Jess Prasad said: "Different countries have different laws and customs, and what's acceptable in Spain may not be acceptable in Greece or Turkey.

"With more people travelling outside the Eurozone this year it is ever more important that people familiarise themselves with the local laws and customs before they go."

Richard Fielder, from the British Embassy in Egypt, said: "It is important to recognise that even within the same country different areas often have different rules.

"Here in Egypt for example, what goes on in Sharm El Sheikh would not be tolerated in other towns and cities, so people need to be responsible for checking the local laws and customs before travelling to avoid getting themselves into trouble."


FCO Tips:

· Make sure that you research your destination before you travel - things that are acceptable here aren't always acceptable abroad
· Always take note of the embassy whereabouts and contact details at your destination so you know who to call if necessary
· For all kinds of useful travel advice including country-specific information, visit http://www.fco.gov.uk/travel.

Did You Know?

· Kissing or touching in public could lead to arrest in Egypt
· In many destinations including the UAE, wearing skirts above the knee is unacceptable behaviour that could lead to fines or official warnings. Nearly 80% of women aged 25-34 have worn a short skirt above the knee on holiday, with almost half not checking if it is illegal or accepted behaviour whilst visiting tourist sites or shopping.
· Making rude gestures in Dubai is considered an obscene act and offenders can be (and have been) prosecuted
· It is illegal to sunbathe topless in the Maldives
· Topless sunbathing is strictly forbidden and liable to be punished by imprisonment or deportation in Abu Dhabi
· That gay sex is illegal in Barbados and Morocco

With permission from Travelmole