Consequences could threaten even those outside the country who create content online.
The human rights group Detained in Dubai stated that the authorities of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) continue to detain people for publishing and even privately forwarding photographs of the aftermath of Iranian airstrikes. A Dubai resident confirmed to RTVI.US that taking such photos is dangerous, at least for those employed in the country.
Earlier, CBS News reported, citing the organization, that at least 21 people have been held accountable for violating Emirati cybersecurity laws. The reason was the filming of destruction and other consequences of military actions. The UAE had previously suffered from Iranian retaliatory strikes against the military operations initiated by the US and Israel.
Formally, the UAE authorities explain the strictness of the law by the danger of disseminating information that disrupts public order and security in the country. According to Detained in Dubai, both foreign residents working in the country and temporary visitors have been arrested. The BBC, in particular, reported on the detention by Dubai police of a 60-year-old British tourist who filmed an Iranian missile in flight.
As a Dubai resident told RTVI.US on the condition of anonymity, it is indeed better not to take photographs of such events. For those working in the UAE, this could lead to at least dismissal.
"We are prohibited from taking photos — otherwise, we could be fired from our jobs," the woman noted.
On Monday, Detained in Dubai reported that three more residents of the elite Dubai Creek Harbor area had allegedly been arrested after an Iranian drone crashed into their home. They had sent photographs of the aftermath of the strike to relatives in private messages to confirm that they were alive; however, arriving law enforcement demanded access to their smartphones.
The head of the human rights center, Radha Stirling, had previously warned on her X (formerly Twitter) that consequences could threaten even those outside the country who create content online.
According to the website of the law firm Amal Khamis in Dubai, depending on which clause of the cybersecurity law the cases are considered under, defendants could face anywhere from 6 months to 15 years in prison.
Under the law, a shorter sentence and a fine of up to 300,000 dirhams ($81,000) are provided for the dissemination of any "illegal content," while long imprisonment and a fine of up to 3,000,000 dirhams ($810,000) are for "threats to national security" and "dissemination of state secrets."
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