A 60-year-old British man has been detained in Dubai after filming footage of an Iranian missile attack targeting the United Arab Emirates, raising questions about the legal risks facing foreigners who document security incidents in the Emirates. The individual, whose identity has not been officially released by local police, was apprehended and taken to the Bur Dubai police station on Monday, 9 February, and remains in custody while authorities investigate whether he distributed footage purportedly showing the interception of projectiles over the city.
He has since been charged under UAE cybercrime laws and could face up to two years' imprisonment if convicted; twenty other individuals of various nationalities were reportedly charged for the same violation. UK authorities are understood to be in contact with local authorities following his arrest. Legal advocates say the case is a warning that in the UAE, the absence of malicious intent may not constitute a sufficient defence under laws governing digital content during times of crisis.
