Emirati gets 10 years jail, Dh1m fine for defaming UAE

The court ordered the confiscation of all the electronic equipment seized in the case

A man who was convicted of setting up and administering a number of websites on social networks Facebook and Twitter, posting false information and articles defaming the UAE and tarnishing its name, has been sentenced to 10 years in jail and slapped with a fine of Dh1 million.
The Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeals on Wednesday found Emirati A.M.R.M. guilty of tainting the reputation of government institutions, of sparking sedition and incitement against the UAE and its foreign and domestic policies.
The court ordered the confiscation of all the electronic equipment seized in the case, which include computers, laptops, and mobile phones. It also ordered shutting down all the websites of the convict and bore him to pay all the charges and expenses of the judicial lawsuits pressed against him.
In a second case, the court also sentenced another Emirati, F.A.A.N. - convicted in the same case - to be imprisoned for five years, and confiscate all the electronic devices seized in the case , shut down all the websites he had built and ordered him to pay all the charges of the lawsuit.
The court had condemned him of joining the banned and clandestine Al Islah organisation, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood terror group.
He was also convicted for assuming leading and administrative posts in a branches of the organisation in an emirate, and attempting to promote its thoughts and ideologies among the youth by luring and indoctrinating them to join the terror outfit. He was also convicted of collecting and raising funds for Al Islah without procuring an official permit from the competent authorities.
In the third case, the court accused H.A.Sh., also Emirati, of attempting to join the nefarious Daesh terrorist organisation, and setting up websites on Facebook and Twitter as well as other online sites, publishing articles promoting the concepts and ideologies of Daesh, Al Qaeda and other terror organisations, as well encouraging and instigating youth to join the groups.
The defendant denied all the charges levelled against him, and requested the court to transfer him to a hospital in the country, arguing that he suffers from psychological disorders.
Ali Al Mannai, the defence attorney, asked the court's bench to get copies of the investigations files, and also requested ample time to prepare the defence and bring in the witnesses.
The court adjourned the hearing to July 19 to hear the defence testimony, ordering that the said witness be summoned and to consider the defendant's health request after he is examined by specialist doctors.
malzarooni@khaleejtimes.com
 
What they're convicted for
* A.M.R.M. - guilty of maligning govt institutions, sparking sedition and incitement against the UAE
* F.A.A.N. - joining Al Islah terror organisation; attempting to promote its ideologies among youth; raising funds
* H.A.Sh. - attempting to join Daesh, publishing articles promoting terror ideologies; promoting on social media

Mustafa Al Zarooni

malzarooni@khaleejtimes.com