Obaid Al Za’abi: UAE laws protect individual rights and privacy

Geneva: The UAE has said that digital development raised a number of issues and concerns and had some negative consequences for human rights.

Addressing a panel discussion held by the UN’s Human Rights Council on the right to privacy in the digital age, Obaid Salem Al Za’abi, the UAE’s Permanent Representative to the UN and other international organisations in Geneva, said human rights in the digital age require a balanced approach in which attention would be given to security considerations and individual rights.

He referred to the Federal Decree No 5 of 2012 on combating cybercrimes which provides for protecting, among others, individuals’ secrets, reputation, privacy and rights, as well as securing digital networks and data and granting freedom of communication.