Man questioned for insulting religion

Dubai: A suspect who claimed he was Jesus Christ in a mosque is currently being questioned for offending a religion, Gulf News learnt on Monday.

The Public Prosecution started questioning the Egyptian suspect who was reportedly arrested shortly after he allegedly claimed he was a chosen prophet in a mosque in Bur Dubai, senior prosecution sources told Gulf News.

"Law enforcement officers arrested the suspect shortly after a number of complainants reported that he & alleged that he is Jesus Christ. Police referred the suspect to the Public Prosecution recently. Prosecutors are questioning the suspect over alleged charges of offending a divine religion. In case preliminary interrogations prove that he did claim & that he is a prophet then this suspected act is incriminatory and punishable by law," a senior prosecutor said.

Lawyer Eisa Bin Haidar, of Eisa Bin Haidar Group of Advocates and Legal Consultants, said: "The UAE federal and local laws do not allow any suspect to offend or insult any divine religion, whether it be Islam, Christianity or Judaism&in case prosecutors find concrete evidence and arraign the suspect with offending a divine religion, then this act is punishable by the Penal Code".

According to article 312 of the Federal Penal Code, a suspect faces between one month and three years in jail and/or a fine (set upon a judge's discretion) in case the suspect offends Islam or any of its rituals, curses or offends a religion, promotes and/or encourages adultery or eats pork (applies to Muslim suspects only).

Sources said the suspect has not been formally charged or referred to court.