Jail time for spreading rumours on ‘April Fools Day’ in the UAE

Spreading false rumours or deliberately broadcasting news or provocative propaganda in the UAE will be subject to punitive actions.

The UAE Public Prosecution took to social media to confirm that all those that engage in such actions shall be penalised with imprisonment of no less than a year, if it would wreak public security or harm public interest.

The Public Prosecution indicated that rumours negatively affect society, harm public interests and disturb public security. Such breaches of the law will be dealt, in accordance with Article 198 of the Federal Penal Code of the UAE.

يعاقب بالحبس مدة لا تقل عن سنة كل من أذاع عمدا أخبارا أو بيانات أو إشاعات كاذبة أو مغرضة أو بث دعايات مثيرة إذا كان من شأن ذلك تكدير الأمن العام أو إلقاء الرعب بين الناس أو إلحاق الضرر بالمصلحة العامة، وذلك وفقا للمادة 198 مكررا من قانون العقوبات الاتحادي . #ثقافة_قانونية pic.twitter.com/7G8VwJAYxV

— النيابة العامة (@UAE_PP) April 1, 2021

In December last year, the UAE Public Prosecution also raised awareness on the penalties regarding the possession and distribution of material that incites racial, religious and cultural hatred.

Read: Jail time, stiff fines for promoting hate speech, UAE Public Prosecution warns