20 on trial in Abu Dhabi on vice charges

A court in Abu Dhabi has opened hearings into a case involving 17 Asian women and three men accused of practicing vice.

The 20 defendants stood trial on Sunday and all of them denied the charges despite testimonies by some witnesses living near their villa.

Their lawyers said there was no evidence the defendants were involved in prostitution and that none of them was caught red handed.

The lawyers told court two of the women were forced to make confessions through “threats and promises” to release them and send them back home.

Newspapers said the judge decided to issue sentence on April 28.