A Norwegian woman jailed in Dubai after being raped has been pardoned, after an international outcry over her treatment by authorities in the conservative Muslim city.

In March, 24-year-old Marte Deborah Dalelv of Norway was on a business trip to Dubai. She says she was raped by a coworker, but when she reported the assault to local police, she was jailed and charged with sex outside marriage, which is illegal.

Rape cases cause an awkward and sometimes harrowing cultural exchange in countries governed by Islamic law, since prosecutions typically require either a confession of the testimony of up to four adult male witnesses.

Dalelv had been sentenced to 16 months in jail, while her alleged attacker received 13-month sentence, since sexually active single women often receive harsher treatment than men.

Now the ruler of Dubai has pardoned both of them. "I am very, very happy," Dalelv told The Associated Press after the sentence was dropped. "I am overjoyed. I have my passport back. I am pardoned. I am free."

This isn't the first time victims have themselves been prosecuted. In 2008, an Australian woman served eight months in prison in the United Arab Emirates after reporting she was gang raped at a hotel.

Norwegian officials were aware of Dalelv's predicament and lobbied UAE authorities to release her, though some critics claim their entreaties were too gentle, so as not to endanger lucrative economic ties between the two countries.

"We have made very clear what we think about this verdict and what we think about the fact that one is charged and sentenced when one starts out by reporting alleged abuse," said Norwegian Foreign Minister Barth Eide.

"The United Arab Emirates and Dubai is a rapidly changing society. This decision won't only affect Marte Dalelv, who can travel home now if she wishes to, but also serve as a wake-up call regarding the legal situation in many other countries," he said.