UAE police issue Dh500,000 fine warning after arrest of multiple suspects from viral lewd video

UAE police have warned residents against posting lewd videos that may offend community members or go against the local custom.

The warning has been issued after multiple suspects were arrested for behaving in a lewd fashion and displaying immoral behaviour in a video that went viral.

A Sharjah Police official has said that the authority had arrested nine men and two women over a wedding video. The video reportedly features the group of people behaving obscenely. The vieo sparked an outrage among some residents of the emirate.

Brigadier Jamal Salem Al Jalaf, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department, Dubai Police said that the authority has arrested people that indulge in such behaviour which does not reflect the values of the Emirati society. "This kind of behaviour is considered to be a crime which is punishable under UAE law,” he said

He added that Dubai Police would not tolerate any such "unacceptable behaviour".

The law behind it

Salim Sahoh, an advocate in Sharjah, said that according to Article 17 of the UAE Cyber Crime Law, anyone who produces or publishes pornographic material or any material against public morals or good conduct will be imprisoned and will also face a fine between Dh250,000 and Dh500,000.

Under the law, any such content that features a minor (person under the age of 18) or is meant to tempt minors will cause the offender to be subject to at least a year in prison and could be fined between Dh150,000 and Dh500,000.

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