Sharjah: Police on Tuesday denied fake news circulating on social networking sites claiming the existence of person infected with coronavirus in Tasjeel village, Sharjah.
The General Command of Sharjah Police confirmed that it was not a case of coronavirus and that the person involved was receiving treatment from paramedics for other health reasons.
Those who filmed and posted the incident claiming it was a case of coronavirus will be prosecuted, Sharjah Police said on its Instagram page.
Police warned social media users against spreading rumours, which can cause confusion and create an atmosphere of insecurity. They also called on all community members to obtain information from official authorities only.
Article 29 of the Federal Legal Decree No 5 for 2012 states those proven guilty of spreading rumours on social media face imprisonment and a civil fine not exceeding Dh1 million.
Covered by the law are messages or posts spread by electronic means, through email, SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook or any other online platform or information technology tool.
The law not only penalises fake news. Even if the information posted online is true, the person sharing it can still be held liable if someone else’s privacy has been violated.
