Associated Press

Nur Qistina Fitriah Ibrahim, a transgender woman who has not undergone a sex-change operation, and her friend, freelance fashion photographer Muhammad Fadli Bin Abdul Rahman, were arrested in Abu Dhabi on Aug. 9, friends say. Police stopped them at Yas Mall as they tried to eat at a food court, said Radha Stirling, CEO of the advocacy group Detained in Dubai.

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But even trips to Dubai can pose risks to LGBT travelers and others as laws sometimes contradict social attitudes, Stirling said. A British man in the UAE faced charges of “cross dressing” last year, but Stirling said she helped him leave the country after paying a fine of 5,000 dirhams ($1,360).

“Alcohol, prostitutes, homosexuality, sex outside marriage and revealing clothing are all ever present, making these practices seem legal or at least, common and acceptable,” Stirling said. “In reality, they are serious offenses that can lead to lengthy imprisonment, fines and deportation.”