Online insults can result in jail time and Dh500,000 fine under UAE cybercrime law

The UAE has warned social media users that insulting or defaming others online can result in imprisonment and fines of up to Dh500,000. The warning forms part of the nationwide 'The UAE is safe with your digital awareness' campaign, run by the UAE Ministry of Interior in cooperation with Dubai Police and the Dubai Electronic Security Centre during Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The campaign highlighted Article 43 of Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Combating Rumours and Cybercrimes, which sets clear penalties for online insults and defamation. Anyone who insults another person or attributes to them an incident that could expose them to punishment or contempt through an information network or system may face imprisonment, a fine of between Dh250,000 and Dh500,000, or both. The penalty is aggravated when the target is a public official acting in an official capacity. The campaign calls on users to treat social media as a platform for constructive expression and the respectful exchange of opinions, rather than personal attacks or mockery.