Wild twist in naked Dubai balcony saga

Irina Sotulenko’s solicitor Oleksiy Nosov and boyfriend Vitaly have said they are deeply concerned for the 23-year-old Ukrainian model.

They haven’t had contact with Ms Sotulenko and she is among a group of women being detained in the United Arab Emirates after taking part in the nude photo shoot on April 3.

At least 40 women are in custody and initially faced up to six months in jail for taking part in the “lewd” photo shoot.

However, the women are now expected to be deported back to Ukraine on Monday, local time after Ukrainian authorities reached an agreement with the UAE.

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Ms Sotulenko complained about the photo shoot’s “idiot” organiser Vitaly Grechin, who allowed the images to be posted online, in audio and video messages.

In the messages, sent to her boyfriend before she and the group were detained, Ms Sotulenko also claimed she was forced to take part or risk not being paid.

“I told them, ‘Guys, we are in Arab country, let’s not show off’,” she allegedly said.

“But, damn, we were forced to this balcony, took pictures and God knows what will be next.”

RELATED: Models who posed for naked photos on Dubai balcony face jail

Ms Sotulenko’s boyfriend, who gave his name only as Vitaly, said that while his girlfriend had known the Dubai assignment involved a nude photo shoot she did not know it would be in a public place.

He claims Ms Sotulenko and the other models had been “pushed” onto the balcony.

“The girls began to be indignant, and asking why they were going there,” Vitaly said.

“They said: ‘This is a Muslim country, for this we will all have problems.’ But they were told, ‘Do not forget who pays for it, please go to the balcony.’

“So they went out onto the balcony and (he) photographed them.”

Vitaly said some of the models had “immediately” left the UAE when they discovered images and video from the shoot were online.

But Ms Sotulenko and others who stayed behind were told they could leave once they went to the police to make a statement.

“(The models were told) police will interrogate you and release you,” Vitaly said.

“It turned out that they were a little deceived. Everyone who returned was taken to prison.”

Ms Sotulenko’s solicitor Mr Nosov said that one of the girls being detained in Dubai has tested positive for COVID-19.

“The Consulate reported that one of the girls fell ill with coronavirus, she is kept separately, and this is not Irina,” he said.

“The conditions in the cell are difficult.

“They are in a cell without telephones, and are not told the date of their deportation to Ukraine.”

Videos and photos showed the women posing nude on a balcony in Dubai’s upscale Marina neighbourhood.

Dubai police then arrested a “group of people who appeared in an indecent video” on charges of public debauchery.

“Such unacceptable behaviours do not reflect the values and ethics of Emirati society,” police said in a statement.

In the UAE there is strict rules around nudity, with the county’s major telecom companies blocking access to porn websites, while kissing or having sex in a public place is also forbidden and punishable with fines or jail time.

Meanwhile, Mr Grechin is believed to be in custody and could face one and a half years in jail for being the organiser of the shoot.

— With Will Stewart