Up to 70 Brits detained in UAE over Iran attack footage, campaign group claims
A lawyer has claimed dozens of Britons have been detained in the UAE over footage of Iranian attacks, saying the figure is far higher than numbers given by the Foreign Office
As many as 70 UK citizens have been detained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for taking photos or videos linked to Iranian attacks, a campaign group has claimed.
Listen to this article
Detained in Dubai said dozens of Britons may have been arrested under the country’s cybercrime laws, which it described as “draconian”.
The group’s chief executive, Radha Stirling, said: “We’re talking approaching 50 to 70 and possibly even more. I think by the end of this we’ll see a lot more, possibly 100, maybe 150.”
In a blog, Ms Stirling warned that the UAE had launched “an extensive cybercrime enforcement campaign” since the outbreak of the conflict in the Gulf, targeting people who filmed, shared or discussed missile and drone activity.
She added that some cases were being treated as national security matters, which could expose individuals to severe penalties, prolonged detention and reduced access to due process.
Read More: Benjamin Netanyahu announces expansion of Israeli security buffer zone in southern Lebanon
Authorities in the UAE have also warned against sharing unverified information online.
The country’s public prosecution said publishing “rumours, false news, or news from unknown sources” could harm national security and lead to legal consequences, even for those who were not the original source of the content.
According to reports, under the UAE’s strictest cybercrime laws, even receiving such images could carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison or heavy fines.
More than 2,300 drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles have been fired at the country since the conflict began in February, the country’s Ministry of Defence said.
However, the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said it was providing consular assistance to a “small number” of British nationals detained in connection with the issue.
Five Britons are currently receiving support, with some others understood to have already been released, according to Whitehall sources.
Ms Stirling said many of those detained had been unaware of the extent of the UAE’s cybercrime laws.
“Most people did not know and were unaware of these laws and how widely they can be applied, especially in a situation like this,” she said.