Jail terms of up to 25 years as UAE cybercrime laws get sharper teeth

Cyber criminals face prison terms of up to 25 years and fines of as much as Dh4 million after tough new penalties were issued by President Sheikh Khalifa yesterday.

The update to the UAE’s cybercrime law of 2012 increases penalties for offenders and now includes a prison term of between 10 and 25 years and fines ranging from Dh2m to Dh4m, for anyone who facilitates online communication between terrorists or unauthorised groups and their members with the general public.

Penalties also apply to anyone who promotes or praises these illegal groups’ ideas, finances their activities, or aids the manufacture of incendiary devices, explosives or any other materials used in terrorist acts, state news agency Wam reported.

The changes include imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of Dh500,000 to Dh1m for whoever establishes, manages or runs a website or publishes content online or uses the internet with the aim to incite hate.

First-time offenders may be placed under electronic probation and monitoring, and prevented from using gadgets during a prescribed penalty period.

Temporary imprisonment and a fine of about Dh1m will be imposed on those managing websites carrying news or cartoon drawings, or any other pictures that may endanger national security and the higher interests of the state, afflict public order, or threaten any member of the judicial courts system, Wam reported.

Guilty expatriates are also subject to deportation, according to the law.

The decree will come into law upon its publication in the Official Gazette.

Besides prison time, the law can also use fines worth millions of dirhams to punish those guilty of colluding with terrorists