UAE: Dh 500,000 fine, jail term for invading a person’s privacy

The penalties may depend on the nature and seriousness of privacy invasion, ranging from Dh150,000 to Dh 5,00,000

Dubai: Authorities in the United Arab Emirate (UAE) on Monday announced a penalty of Dh 500,000 or jail term for violating people’s privacy.

The UAE Public Prosecution announced the decision and said that in a few cases offenders may face a six-month jail-term. The authority has released a list of acts that will be considered as an invasion of privacy.

Eavesdropping, intervention in, or the recording, transferring, broadcasting, or divulgence of talking, communications, or audio or visual materials. Taking photographs without consent at a public or private event. Similarly, publishing print or electronic news; true or false, with an intention to hurt someone is also an offence, reported Gulf news.

Taking pictures of an injured, dead person and publishing those without the prior consent of the concerned party will also be considered an offense. Further, tracing a person’s geographic site data and keeping, publishing the information will cause trouble for the offenders. The penalties may depend on the nature and seriousness of privacy invasion, ranging from Dh150,000 to Dh 5,00,000.

“Whoever uses means of information technology to make any alteration or processing on a recording, image, or scene, for the purpose of offense against another person shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a duration of not less than a year, and/or fined…not less than Dh250,000 and not more than Dh500,000” the authority said in a statement.

Back to top button