Emirati lawyer Hessa Al Hammadi warned against dealing with and interacting with false information and rumors, and republishing and promoting them, noting that Emirati law criminalizes this act because it disrupts society, its cohesion and values.
In conjunction with the “Campaign to Combat Electronic Flies”, launched via the “X” platform by Sheikh Abdullah Al Hamed, Chairman of the National Media Office and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Media Council, to combat fake accounts programmed to spread false information aimed at undermining the values and ethics of societies, Al Hammadi explained that Emirati law is keen for members of society to obtain information from reliable official sources, so it criminalizes the spread of rumors and materials that include false information.
Imprisonment and a Fine
Hessa Al Hammadi warned that Article 52 of Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 regarding combating rumors and cybercrimes, punishes with imprisonment for a period of not less than one year and a fine of not less than 100,000 dirhams for promoters of rumors and false news.
She explained that this article stipulates in its first clause that “Whoever uses the information network or any ITE to announce, disseminate, re-disseminate, circulate, or recirculate false news or data, or false, tendentious, misleading or erroneous rumors or reports, or rumors or reports contrary to what has been announced officially, or broadcasts any provocative advertisements that would incite or provoke the public opinion, disturb the public peace, spread terror among people, or cause harm to the public interest, the national economy, the public order, or the public health shall be punished with imprisonment for at least one year and a fine of not less than (AED 100,000) one hundred thousand dirhams.”
Inciting Public Opinion
She pointed out that the second clause of the same article stipulates that “the penalty shall be imprisonment for at least (2) two years and a fine of not less than (AED 200,000) two hundred thousand dirhams, if any of the acts mentioned in the first clause of this article results incitement and provocation of the public opinion against any of the UAE’s authorities or entities, or is committed during epidemics, crises, emergencies or disasters.”
