UAE arrests dozens of British citizens over online posts during Iran war
Dozens of British citizens have been jailed in the United Arab Emirates as the country clamps down on social media activity over the Iran war.
Advocacy group Detained in Dubai released a report on Sunday documenting "widespread arrests, detention, and prosecution of residents, tourists, workers, and students of multiple nationalities".
The UAE's global image as a safe, tax-free business hub and holiday destination has been shattered in the past month, as buildings - including Dubai's airport and the iconic Fairmont hotel on Palm Jumeirah - have been hit by Iranian missiles and drones.
By 28 March, Iran had launched 398 ballistic missiles, 1,872 drones and 15 cruise missiles at the UAE.
The Emirati government has cracked down on social media posts and videos depicting the attacks, in a bid to limit the reputational damage to the country.
Britons have been arrested just for taking photos and videos of drones and missile attacks, and Detained in Dubai said people have been taken into custody just for sending private messages to friends and family.
"Forwarding or interacting with content can result in detention, even where the individual did not create it," the group reported.
"In some cases, simply receiving an image and failing to delete it has reportedly led to arrest."
The UAE's law prohibits people from taking or sharing photos and videos that could "disturb public security".
At least 35 Britons detained in Dubai
Human rights group Dubai Watch is representing eight arrested Britons and has said that at least 35 British citizens have been detained in Dubai, along with a similar number in the UAE's capital, Abu Dhabi.
Before the war began, there were more than 240,000 British expats in Dubai, about half of whom are thought to have left.
A London-based British air steward for airline FlyDubai was reportedly detained for photographing the damage caused when an Iranian drone crashed near the Dubai airport on 7 March and sharing it with colleagues.
Earlier this month, a 60-year-old tourist from London was arrested for allegedly filming missiles hitting Dubai, although he reportedly deleted the video immediately when asked to.
He faces up to two years in jail and up to £40,000 in fines.
Police are approaching people in public and demanding access to their phones, then arresting them if they find images and videos of attacks, according to Detained in Dubai.
Britain's foreign office said: "We are supporting a number of British nationals in the UAE who have been detained or arrested.
"We expect full consular access to British nationals. The British ambassador regularly speaks to the authorities about access."
'Serious failure of protection'
Radha Stirling, of Detained in Dubai, said: "British citizens are being held in overcrowded conditions, denied medication, and pressured to sign confessions without legal representation.
"This is a serious failure of protection. Immediate and robust diplomatic intervention is required to safeguard their welfare and secure their release."
Many others of different nationalities have been arrested. Detained in Dubai said an Indian university student was "detained for forwarding videos within a family group".
Some detainees have reportedly been held in overcrowded cells and required to sign statements in Arabic that they do not understand.
Numerous cases been been treated as national security issues, meaning the accused could face up to 15 years imprisonment.
The Emirati embassy in London said: "Disseminating such materials or inaccurate information can incite public panic and create a false impression of the UAE's actual situation."
The UAE is facing its most serious economic shock in decades as a result of the US-Israeli war on Iran.
The country’s economy is heavily reliant on tourism, real estate, logistics and finance.
More than $120bn has been wiped from market capitalisation on the Dubai and Abu Dhabi stock exchanges in the last month.
By the end of March, Dubai’s real estate index had fallen by at least 16 percent since the war started.
This article was sourced from Middle East Eye.
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