Man jailed for two years for defaming UAE leaders

abu dhabi — The Abu Dhabi Federal court of Appeals on Wednesday sentenced an Emirati national to two years in jail for defaming the UAE leadership. The 51-year-old man denied charges against him during a court hearing last month. However, the court convicted him and ordered him to pay the judicial charges and fees.

In another case, an Emirati stood trial on Wednesday, accused of smuggling a rifle and shot guns into the country and possessing firearms without valid authorisation. He is also charged with possessing military ammunition without having permission from the authorities.

Defence attorney Mohammed Al Khazraji told the court that the arms seized from the 48-year-old accused were antique and unfit for use. “The weapons were gifted to the accused by his late father,” said Al Khazraji.

Regarding the rifle, the accused told the court that he had received it as a gift during his visit to a neighbouring country. “I had never smuggled it or brought it unnoticed into the UAE. I brought it in through a legal check post,” he said, noting that it was a rifle made in 1920 and was unfit for use. Regarding the firearms, he said that was a model presented to him by a company. “It was just a sample of a firecracker,” he told the court.

However, the court adjourned the case to March 15.

The court has also postponed the hearing of another case to March 22, allowing two Pakistani defendants living in Abu Dhabi to hire a lawyer.

In the case, the prime accused is charged with joining Al Qaeda terror group in Pakistan and Ahrar Al Sham in Syria. The second defendant allegedly failed to inform the authorities about his compatriot’s crime even after knowing that.