Abu Dhabi: A man was sentenced to 10 years in jail after he was found guilty of defaming the UAE through social media channels, the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeals ruled on Wednesday.
The Emirati defendant, HAAT, 45, was found guilty of using social media sites to publish false information, rumours and lies about the UAE and promoting sectarian feelings and hatred in an attempt to damage the UAE’s social harmony and unity.
He also published false information to damage the UAE’s reputation abroad, prosecutors said.
The court ordered the confiscation of all communication devices used in the crimes, they also deleted the statements and closed the websites and social networking sites used in the offences.
In another case, the State Security court at the Federal Supreme Court sentenced on Monday a 22 year old citizen of the Comoros to five years in prison with a fine of Dh1 million for joining the Daesh terrorist organisation.
The defendant was also convicted of using social media to publish false information, articles, and rumours to promote Al Qaida organisation’s terrorist ideology and to encourage young people to join it.
The court ordered the confiscation of all communication devices used in the crimes as well as the closure of the website and the elimination of all material published through it.
The man was found guilty of violating articles (1, 22, 45) of the Federal Law no. (7) of 2014 on combating terrorist crimes and articles (1, 9, 26 and 41) of the Federal Law no. 5 of 2012 regarding Combating Information Technology Crimes.
