Tourist arrested over bikini on Maldives beach thought she was being ‘abducted’

A woman who was dramatically dragged off a beach by police because of her “indecent” bikini said she thought she was being kidnapped.

A British woman arrested for wearing a bikini on a Maldives beach claims cops slapped and groped her and insists she feared she was being kidnapped.

Viral footage of the arrest showed Cecilia Jastrzembska, 26, screaming “you’re sexually assaulting me” as three officers manhandled her in the island of Maafushi, The Sun reported.

The holiday-maker, who is a parliamentary adviser, claims she was assaulted after the 30-second clip ended and says she feared for her life.

The woman was arrested on the island of Maafushi in the Maldives. Picture: MV Crisis/PA Wire

She told The Mirror she was slapped across the face, kicked in the stomach and subjected to body searches by the male cops who were not wearing uniforms.

Ms Jastrzembska said she thought she was being abducted.

“Fists were being waved in my face,” she said.

“I wondered if they were going to lock me up. It’s the kind of situation where, as a woman, you could imagine something much worse happening.”

Cecilia Jastrzembska on UK show First Dates. Picture: Channel 4

She claims she was “hysterical” and “hyperventilating” when the cops started to “grope” her.

“I was terrified,” she said. “I thought my life was at risk. I was humiliated and degraded.

“They forced me into a car and, because they had no uniforms, I thought I was being abducted.”

Tourists visiting holiday resorts in the Maldives, which is an Islamic country, are allowed to wear swimwear on certain parts of the islands.

Police took issue with her bikini. Picture: MV Crisis/PA Wire

There are two “bikini beaches” in Maafushi where tourists can strip to the swimwear without breaking the law – however visitors are banned from wearing bikinis in the local areas.

Ms Jastrzembska said she was unaware of the laws when she went to Maafushi on holiday with her friend Lucas Ramos, 31.

She said she saw “people wearing bikinis everywhere” before the men started following her and began shouting “we’re the police” at her.

She was dragged off the beach. Picture: MV Crisis/PA Wire

Maldives police issued a public apology to the woman. Picture: MV Crisis/PA Wire

Maldives authorities apologised and the “travel blogger” was released after spending an hour and a half in custody on Thursday.

Cecilia previously stunned viewers of Channel 4’s First Dates in 2018 after refusing to let her date pay the bill. Later that year she appeared on Ninja Warrior UK.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission