The US‑Israel conflict with Iran has entered its second week
The British Embassy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has warned UK citizens in the region not to take or share images of the damage caused by Iranian missiles, as doing so could violate local laws.
This follows the recent charging of a 60-year-old British man under Dubai’s cybercrime laws for allegedly filming Iranian missiles over the city.
According to Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, the man was detained under a law banning the publication or sharing of material that could threaten public security after a video of a missile strike was found on his phone, per the BBC.
“British nationals are subject to UAE laws, violations may lead to fines, imprisonment, or deportation,” the embassy said in a statement on X.
The statement added: “UAE authorities warn against photographing, posting, or sharing images of incident sites or projectile damage as well as government buildings and diplomatic missions.”
Stirling went on to say that 21 people have been “charged together under the UAE’s cyber-crime laws in connection with videos and social media posts relating to the recent missile strikes”.
She believes the UAE is cracking down on people filming missiles to “maintain the facade that it is safe for tourists”.
In the UAE, criticism of the government is illegal, with authorities maintaining strict control over the flow of information.
The UAE’s minister of state to the EU, Lana Nusseibeh, told the BBC, “the basis of the legislation” around controlling the sharing of information in the UAE was put in place “for everyone to feel safe”.
Dubai has long been recognised as a dazzling hub for expatriates seeking business and leisure opportunities; however, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has begun to impact the city.
The US‑Israel conflict with Iran has entered its second week, with Iran continuing retaliatory attacks after US and Israeli airstrikes killed the country’s supreme leader on 28 February.
Some of the UAE’s most iconic buildings have been damaged since, including the Fairmont The Palm hotel in the luxurious Palm Jumeirah area and the Burj Al Arab hotel.
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