Three men accused of insulting Islam in Dubai

Dubai

Three security guards have ben accused of insulting Islam on Facebook and Instagram after Sri Lanka blast in May this year, a Dubai Court of First Instance heard on Wednesday.

The three Sri Lankan men who work at a luxury hotel at Palm Jumeirah, were reported to police by their colleagues after they posted pictures and posts insulting Islam on social media platforms in May.

According to the Dubai Public Prosecution, the three defendants ages between 28 and 34, admitted derogatory pictures and texts, one week after the blasts in Sri Lanka.

A 35-year-old Pakistani employee at the hotel, said: “Some employees told me that the defendants insulted Islam on Facebook. We have 84 different nationalities working in the hotel. We summoned them for internal questioning and they admitted making the posts,” the Pakistani witness said in official records.

Police officers from Al Barsha station, went to the hotel and arrested the defendants. The police searched their residence and took their mobile phones and laptops for further investigation.

Dubai Public Prosecution charged the defendants with insulting Islam on social media.

On Wednesday, the men denied the charge and claimed that their posts were about terrorism after the blasts in their country.

The attacks in Sri Lanka this year, targeted hotels and churches that killed more than 250 people, including 40 foreign nationals.

A verdict will be issued on December 22 while the defendants will remain under custody.