A Brisbane woman jailed for adultery in the UAE has moved to
sue the Australian government for failing to warn her that a rape claim could
lead to imprisonment.
Alicia Gali, a former beauty salon manager at the luxury Le
Méridien Al Aqah in Fujairah, claimed she was drugged and raped by three
co-workers in June 2008.
The 29-year-old was jailed for eight months on charges of
adultery after reporting the assault to UAE authorities – a consequence she
claims an Australian consulate official in Dubai should have warned her about.
In a statement to Australian media, Ms Gali’s lawyers,
Maurice Blackburn, said the firm was taking the step of suing the Commonwealth
to protect its client’s rights.
The legal firm is seeking leave to sue the government in the
Brisbane Supreme Court.
Ms Gali has already won leave to pursue legal action against
international group Starwood Hotels, manager of Le Méridien Al Aqah, for allegedly
failing in its workplace duty of care.
In a previous statement, her lawyer
said the hotel had failed to provide segregated, secure quarters for female
employees or adequate training on local laws and customs.
The case is likely to proceed in
Australia.
In a previous statement, a
spokesperson for Le Méridien Al Aqah said the hotel was aware of the
incident and that staff safety was “a paramount priority”.
“The local authorities applied local laws and
determined that it was appropriate to incarcerate Ms. Gali and the other
individuals involved in this matter,” the spokesperson said, adding the hotel
had supported Gali throughout the incident.
“Including assisting with medical support, arranging for
financial support, assistance with the investigation, liaising with her
representative embassy and arranging for her family to come to the UAE from
Australia.”
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