The United Arab Emirates government has ordered the arrest of 35 people, including 19 Indians, for allegedly publishing ‘misleading’ videos and content online during the, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM).
The action comes after the UAE Attorney General Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi directed two groups of accused individuals be referred for expedited trial for content posted on digital platforms. A group of 10 people was earlier named with the second set of 25 individuals named later. Together, the cases involve 35 people, including Indian nationals.
The investigation began after authorities intensified surveillance of social media during the ongoing security situation in the region. The monitoring was aimed at identifying digital content that could misinform the public or disrupt the country’s security environment, the statement said. Some of the circulated videos implied security threats by showing children in videos to heighten emotional reactions among viewers.
Oil loading operations were suspended at UAE’s port of Fujairah after an alleged Iranian drone strike on Monday.
The port handles about one million barrels per day of the UAE’s Murban crude, roughly 1 per cent of global demand.
Over at Dubai Dubai International Airport, normally one of the world’s busiest, flights were suspended for several hours after a drone strike on a nearby fuel storage facility. Plumes of thick black smoke were seen in Dubai skies. Authorities said they had contained a fire.
Against this backdrop, the announcement of government action against the accused assumes significance.
The accused are said to have circulated a range of videos and posts connected to recent military developments in three ways. Some posts included footage showing air defence systems intercepting projectiles or debris found on the ground after incidents, which are authentic but could lead to risking defensive capabilities and create panic.
In the second case, the clips were digitally altered or created using artificial intelligence to appear authentic. The investigation also found that certain posts misrepresented incidents that had actually taken place in other countries and claimed that they had occurred inside the UAE.
In addition to this, some of the accused individuals shared posts that praised and “glorified” a country involved in the conflict and promoted its political and military leadership. These posts furthered the “hostile” state’s military aggressions in the region, and oppose national interests of UAE, the news agency reported.
The public prosecution said the suspects have been placed in custody while investigations continue.
Attorney General Hamal Saif Al Shamsi stated that under the UAE law, spreading misleading information or content that threatens public security can lead to criminal penalties, including imprisonment for at least one year and a financial fine of no less than AED 100,000. Distributing such material could mislead public opinion, create confusion during a sensitive security period, and provide external actors with information that could distort facts or undermine confidence in the authorities, he added.
Earlier, authorities had warned residents against photographing incident locations or circulating images and videos related to defence responses, saying such material could expose sensitive information or generate unnecessary alarm among the public.
