Emirati authorities have warned that those who publish footage linked to purported Iranian strikes could face fines or imprisonment
Dubai officials have issued threats to influencers sharing content showing damage said to be from Iranian missiles and drones, warning of significant fines or even prison sentences.
Tehran has rejected claims that it targets civilian infrastructure in nearby nations, including the UAE, stating that its military only strikes US military bases in the area as a response to attacks by the US and Israel.
For a while now, Dubai has attracted content creators from across the globe thanks to its Dedicated Residence Golden Visa program.
In a social media announcement, Emirati officials cautioned the public against sharing any content considered detrimental to “public order” and “national unity.” Violators of these rules could be fined up to $77,000 or sent to jail.
A lifestyle influencer living in Dubai, who chose to remain anonymous, told The Telegraph that local authorities “definitely want to control the story.”
“The rules about what’s allowed to be said here are very strict,” she further noted.
In a statement released on Saturday—just hours after the US and Israel carried out large-scale airstrikes on Iran—the UAE public prosecutor’s office warned “against posting or spreading rumors and information from unconfirmed sources via social media platforms.”
Officials recommended that online content creators get “information only from official and authorized sources,” and emphasized that “Spreading rumors is an offense.”
On Saturday, the UAE Ministry of Defense reported that the country was targeted by an Iranian attack using multiple ballistic missiles, some of which were shot down by air defense systems. It also stated that missile fragments landed in a residential zone, and one individual lost their life in an “incident” at Abu Dhabi’s airport.
The Gulf nation hosts two US military bases, which are said to have been targeted by Iranian retaliatory attacks in the past few days.
The ongoing US-Israeli offensive against the Islamic Republic resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior Iranian military commanders over the weekend. Since the campaign started, over 1,200 people have died in Iran, including at least 160 young pre-teen students and teachers. Russia has criticized the attack on Iran.