In a recent development in Abu Dhabi, a woman found herself on the wrong side of the law thanks to a video shared on social media that was deemed to be inciting hatred. The Abu Dhabi Public Prosecutor announced on Tuesday that the video, which received widespread attention on social media, was insulting to men and domestic workers, thus violating social norms and values.
According to the Prosecution, the video was a clear violation of all the customs and morals of the community. It was seen as insulting to men and domestic workers, prompting an investigation into the release of the video on social media. The investigation concluded that the video may have incited hate speech and a jail order was issued against the female accused.
Public Prosecutors took this opportunity to remind residents of the severe legal consequences of possessing or sharing material that promotes ethnic, religious, or cultural hatred Laws in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to this effect about is strict. Individuals found guilty of uttering hate speech in any media can be jailed for a minimum of 5 years and fined between Dh500,000 and Dh1,000,000
Furthermore, the law does not stop at the act of hate speech. Obtaining or intending to distribute or provide to the public documents, recordings, software, and other materials that denigrate religious beliefs, promote discrimination, or contain hate speech is also punishable by law in this printing, recording, archive, sound, or visual recording device, or publication includes criminal material or other means, known to be used to commit a specified offense in the present State Any of the rules
In 2015, the UAE passed Federal Act Law No. 2, and comprehensive anti-discrimination and anti-hate laws came into being. The law is intended to protect the diversity of the UAE and foster an atmosphere of tolerance, respect, and harmony, and prohibits acts that incite religious hatred or insult religious beliefs through the expression of any information, including speech, writing or the internet does journalism include, as propaganda
The law goes on to prohibit any action that would be considered sacrilegious to God, His prophets or apostles, holy books, or synagogues or cemeteries. It also prohibits the formation of organizations or groups whose primary purpose is to incite religious hatred. It harshly punishes people who support organizations such as groups or individuals associated with hate crimes.
In addition, the law prohibits events such as rallies or gatherings with the express intent to promote discrimination or hatred against individuals or groups The law also prohibits any financial support for such activities; punishable under the new law.
This law also contains provisions that encourage individuals who have violated this law to voluntarily surrender to authorities in such cases where the courts have the discretion to suspend the penalty. This provision is viewed as a way to encourage individuals to take responsibility for their actions and to deter others from doing the same
In conclusion, the woman’s imprisonment in Abu Dhabi for posting a video deemed to incite hatred is a stark reminder of the UAE’s stringent laws against discriminatory or hateful content. It underscores the country’s commitment to maintaining an atmosphere of tolerance and respect, with no room for hate speech or discrimination.
Original Source: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/crime/uae-woman-jailed-in-abu-dhabi-over-viral-offensive-video