A growing number of social media users, including foreigners, are facing charges in the United Arab Emirates under the Gulf state’s broad cybercrime laws for sharing or possessing digital content that depicts or comments on the impact of ongoing Iranian attacks, the advocacy group Detained in Dubai has warned.
The arrests highlight the strict regulations around online content in the UAE, which has expressly forbidden anyone from taking or sharing imagery that shows Iranian drone or missile impacts or efforts to intercept the weapons.
Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International, and an expert on legal and extradition issues in the Gulf region, warned in a social media post that even minor posts, reshares, commentary, photos and opinions can lead to detention in the UAE, “even if it was made outside the UAE.”
Stirling said 21 people were facing charges under the UAE’s cybercrime laws as of Thursday, including a 60-year-old British tourist who deleted his video immediately when authorities asked him to, but was still charged.
An influencer with 300,000 views was just told to delete a video and post a correction, Stirling said, highlighting what she called “an interesting contrast,” as others filming the same street events were apparently arrested.
“Celebrities have long been afforded protected status in the UAE,” she said.
A Filipina domestic worker was detained near the Burj Al Arab tower after taking a photo while waiting for work, Stirling said, giving another example. Officers reportedly checked her phone, found an image, and arrested her.
And a Vietnamese sailor from a cargo vessel was detained in Fujairah after allegedly sharing video of missile activity that he filmed while outside UAE territory. He was taken ashore by the coast guard and was still detained as of Thursday, Stirling said.
AP
The UAE is among the Gulf Arab countries that have faced retaliatory fire from Iran since the U.S. and Israel launched a campaign against it in late February.
The country’s defense ministry said Friday that the Gulf state’s air defenses were “currently dealing with missile attacks and incoming drones originating from Iran.” It said in a social media post that “sounds heard in scattered areas of the country are the result of air defense systems intercepting ballistic missiles, as well as fighter jets intercepting drones and loitering munitions.”
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