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A British man has been charged under cybercrime laws for allegedly photographing an Iranian missile over Dubai, British authorities have confirmed.
The 60-year-old man, believed to be a tourist, was charged under a law that prohibits the publication or sharing of material that could disturb public peace. The UK Foreign Office told CNN: “We are liaising with local authorities following the detention of a British man in the UAE.”
CNN has reached out to the Dubai government for comment.
Rana Nuceibeh, the UAE’s minister of state for the EU, told the BBC she was “aware” that there had been “some breaches” of the law, but did not comment specifically on the British man’s case. She said the regulations were put in place for public safety. “Everyone here, we welcome you here…to follow the guidelines. The guidelines are for your safety and protection.”
The penalty for violating the UAE’s cybercrime law is a minimum of two years’ imprisonment and a fine of 200,000 UAE dirhams (approximately $54,000).
In an interview with British radio station LBC, Mansour Abulhoul, the UAE ambassador to the UK, said: “The UAE is very safe.”
“The UAE has guidelines and regulations to ensure people’s safety,” he said, adding that the UAE was discouraging people from filming to avoid being hit by “falling debris.”
Last Friday, the UAE Attorney General warned the public against disseminating photos or videos of the attack scene or inaccurate information that could cause panic.
Another government warning, disseminated through email, text messages and public information announcements, states: “Photographing or sharing security or sensitive sites or reposting unreliable information may lead to legal action and undermine national security and stability. Compliance helps keep communities safe and stable.”
Another warned people: “Think before you share. Spreading rumors is a crime.”
In a post on X, the British Embassy in the UAE said: “UAE authorities warn against taking, posting and sharing images of crime scenes and projectile damage, as well as government buildings and diplomatic missions. British nationals are subject to UAE law and breaches can lead to fines, imprisonment and deportation.”
More than 1,800 drones and missiles have been launched in the UAE since the war began, the country’s Ministry of Defense said on Friday’s X news agency. Six people were killed and 141 injured.
Fix:
A previous version of this article contained information that cannot be independently verified.
