Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, in his capacity as Ruler of Dubai, issued a decree on regulating fund-raising and charitable donations in Dubai.

Decree No 9 of 2015 aims to encourage community members to donate money as well as to control and audit the money collected through fund-raising. Pursuant to the decree, it is strictly prohibited to collect donations, or permit collecting donations or advertising of fund-raising campaigns through all forms of media without obtaining prior written approval from the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department with the exception of charitable fund-raising campaigns launched by the President, the Vice-President, Their Highnesses Supreme Council Members, Crown Princes and Deputy Rulers. Also exempted are donations collected by government entities as long as these are in coordination with the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department.

The decree defines donations as acts of virtue by which the owner voluntarily transfers money and possessions from himself to another without any consideration for the purpose of charitable work and includes zakat and alms.

The decree also outlines the scope of duties of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department which include encouraging community members to donate, revising and approving fund-raising requests, monitoring and overseeing fund-raising activities in Dubai, auditing raised funds and confiscation and disposition of any funds or monies raised in variance with the decree and its subsequent policies and procedures.

Any violation of the decree is subject to two months to one year imprisonment and a fine of Dh5,000 to Dh100,000, or one of the defined penalties as the court may deem fit.

Employees of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department, named by a resolution issued by the Director-General, reserve the right to act as judicial officers and may accordingly investigate and document any violations of this decree in coordination with any authorised entity, including the police.

This decree overwrites and annuls any other legislation that contradicts or conflicts with it. This decree is to be published in the Official Gazette, and comes into effect from the date of its publication.