Lawmedia centerCybercrime in the UAE 2022

January 17, 2022

Cybercrime

With the development witnessed by the world in the field of digital transactions, this field has also witnessed the development and increase in the field of cybercrime carried out through the internet or electronic devices such as computers and smartphones.

With the increase in such cases as cybercrime, UAE law has had to establish legal provisions that include deterrent penalties for cybercrime while protecting its community in general and its children in particular.

The following are the most prominent cybercrimes or acts and transactions that amount to criminal cybercrimes punishable by law:

CYBERCRIME

Cybercrimes affecting ethics:

Such as intentionally possessing pornographic material using information technology, by posting content that is offensive to religions or encouraging unethical behavior that is contrary to true values and behavior.

Inciting the dissemination of debauchery and the commission of prostitution through the internet or the means of Information Technology.

Invasion of privacy in its various forms such as:

Recording, eavesdropping, or broadcasting conversations, communications, audio or video materials for the purpose of discrediting a person or persons, whether known in the community or a member of the community, in a manner that provokes rejection and public contempt.

Take pictures of people, transfer, copy, retain, modify, superimpose on other images and publish them for the purpose of harm and harm, so be careful before you publish or use any image taken without consent; it is a criminal offense, and the law for such crimes is punishable by imprisonment for six months and a fine ranging from AED 150,000 to AED 300,000.

Publish news about certain people, scenes, statements or comments with the aim of maligning and harming even if they are right and true.

CYBERCRIME

Online and digital piracy:

Any unauthorized access to data and information or through hacking and violation of certain websites, networks or systems or in the case of deletion or theft of any personal information through the use of malware or voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services unlicensed, punishable by law in such crimes as a fine starting from AED 50,000, such crimes with a fine starting from AED 50,000 and up to a maximum of AED one million.

In the case of using programs that damage data or malfunction of websites, networks or information technology systems, causing them to be deleted or changed, the law in such cases shall be punishable by imprisonment for five years and a fine Of AED 3 million, this is one of the most severe penalties for cybercrime.

  • Forgery of electronic official documents
  • Clone credit card data
  • Obtaining secret passwords

And other cybercrimes that are punishable by Emirati law.

CYBERCRIME

UAE law and child protection against cybercrime:

Wadeema law:

Wadeema law is the federal law of the United Arab Emirates No. 3 of 2016 on the rights of the child, which aims to protect the child from practices that would endanger his life or morals including from neglect, abuse, physical or psychological violence including harm and harm to children as a result of the digital world.

UAE law prohibits the use of children in the following acts, which are punishable crimes:

Publish, distribute and easily deliver pornography to children

Exploitation of children to photograph or record pornography

Sexual exploitation of a child in order to prepare him to perform pornographic acts and publish them on the internet.

Or any kind of contribution to child pornography

Possession or download of child pornography for any purpose

The UAE law punishes the crime of possessing, downloading or publishing child pornography via the internet with imprisonment for a period of not less than one year and a fine ranging from (100,000) one hundred thousand dirhams to(400,000) four hundred thousand dirhams .

UAE law punishes the crime of producing, distributing, or photographing child pornography for at least ten years in prison.

The offence of sexual exploitation of children is also punishable by imprisonment for ten years.

The legal position on not reporting child pornography:

Reporting child pornography is a duty of communication bodies, educators, medical professionals, social workers or others entrusted with the protection, care or education of children.

Anyone should inform the Child Protection Units, the child protection specialist or the relevant authorities or authorities if they feel that there is a threat to the child’s physical, psychological, moral or mental well-being.

The law prohibits the disclosure of the identity of the person who reported without his knowledge, as well as the disclosure of the identity of all parties to the incident and witnesses in cases of child abuse or ill-treatment, when the information is used in analyses or media reports or the publication of all possible identification of his personality.

The UAE law punishes anyone who fails to report with imprisonment or a fine of not less than (5,000) five thousand dirhams.

Every person who has reached the age of majority shall assist any child who is required to report his or her suffering or that of any of his or her siblings or any other child to the competent authorities or authorities concerned.

UAE law also imposes penalties on telecommunications authorities if they fail to report the publication of child pornography circulating through websites with a fine ranging from (100,000) one hundred thousand dirhams to (1,000,000) million dirhams.

CYBERCRIME

UAE strategies for achieving “cyber security”:

National Cyber Security Strategy:

The updated version of the National Cyber Security Strategy was launched in 2019 by the telecommunications and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (TRA) to:

Ensure that companies develop and grow in a safe and prosperous environment

Developing a cybersecurity environment

Developing cyber security standards

Develop the National Cyber Security Strategy by analyzing more than 50 sources of global indicators and publications

Compete with nearly 10 leading countries in the field of cybersecurity systems.

CYBERCRIME

Dubai Cyber Security Strategy:

Based on the importance of the emirate of Dubai, the Dubai Cyber Security Center has launched this strategy to protect the emirate of Dubai from the dangers and threats of cyberspace, as it outlines the necessary measures to reduce these risks and emphasizes the importance of compliance with legislation and laws related to cybercrime.

Objectives of the strategy:

  • The Dubai Cyber Security Strategy works to educate the community, public and private institutions and individuals on how to address these risks and to provide a secure infrastructure for organizations and individuals.
  • Encouraging scientific research and innovation in the field of cyber security.
  • Maintaining the flexibility of cyberspace by ensuring the continuity of IT systems
  • Collaborate with local and international sectors to manage cyber risks.

To see the text of laws and legislation to combat and control cybercrime, and to view government decisions related to activities carried out on the internet, you can see them through the following links:

https://elaws.moj.gov.ae

https://tdra.gov.ae

https://elaws.moj.gov.ae

Federal decree law No 2 of 2018 on Cybersecurity crimes Arabic (2)

قانون اتحادي رقم 12 لسنة 2016 بتعديل المرسوم بقانون اتحادي رقم 5 لشنة 2015 في شأن مكافحة الجرائم الإلكترونية

بشأن تنظيم نشر و تبادل البيانات في إمارة دبي قانون رقم (26) لسنة 2015

Contact Us

Contact Form en

With the development witnessed by the world in the field of digital transactions, this field has also witnessed the development and increase in the field of cybercrime carried out through the internet or electronic devices such as computers and smartphones.

With the increase in such cases as cybercrime, UAE law has had to establish legal provisions that include deterrent penalties for cybercrime while protecting its community in general and its children in particular.

The following are the most prominent cybercrimes or acts and transactions that amount to criminal cybercrimes punishable by law:

CYBERCRIME

Cybercrimes affecting ethics:

Such as intentionally possessing pornographic material using information technology, by posting content that is offensive to religions or encouraging unethical behavior that is contrary to true values and behavior.

Inciting the dissemination of debauchery and the commission of prostitution through the internet or the means of Information Technology.

Invasion of privacy in its various forms such as:

Recording, eavesdropping, or broadcasting conversations, communications, audio or video materials for the purpose of discrediting a person or persons, whether known in the community or a member of the community, in a manner that provokes rejection and public contempt.

Take pictures of people, transfer, copy, retain, modify, superimpose on other images and publish them for the purpose of harm and harm, so be careful before you publish or use any image taken without consent; it is a criminal offense, and the law for such crimes is punishable by imprisonment for six months and a fine ranging from AED 150,000 to AED 300,000.

Publish news about certain people, scenes, statements or comments with the aim of maligning and harming even if they are right and true.

CYBERCRIME

Online and digital piracy:

Any unauthorized access to data and information or through hacking and violation of certain websites, networks or systems or in the case of deletion or theft of any personal information through the use of malware or voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services unlicensed, punishable by law in such crimes as a fine starting from AED 50,000, such crimes with a fine starting from AED 50,000 and up to a maximum of AED one million.

In the case of using programs that damage data or malfunction of websites, networks or information technology systems, causing them to be deleted or changed, the law in such cases shall be punishable by imprisonment for five years and a fine Of AED 3 million, this is one of the most severe penalties for cybercrime.

  • Forgery of electronic official documents
  • Clone credit card data
  • Obtaining secret passwords

And other cybercrimes that are punishable by Emirati law.

CYBERCRIME

UAE law and child protection against cybercrime:

Wadeema law:

Wadeema law is the federal law of the United Arab Emirates No. 3 of 2016 on the rights of the child, which aims to protect the child from practices that would endanger his life or morals including from neglect, abuse, physical or psychological violence including harm and harm to children as a result of the digital world.

UAE law prohibits the use of children in the following acts, which are punishable crimes:

Publish, distribute and easily deliver pornography to children

Exploitation of children to photograph or record pornography

Sexual exploitation of a child in order to prepare him to perform pornographic acts and publish them on the internet.

Or any kind of contribution to child pornography

Possession or download of child pornography for any purpose

The UAE law punishes the crime of possessing, downloading or publishing child pornography via the internet with imprisonment for a period of not less than one year and a fine ranging from (100,000) one hundred thousand dirhams to(400,000) four hundred thousand dirhams .

UAE law punishes the crime of producing, distributing, or photographing child pornography for at least ten years in prison.

The offence of sexual exploitation of children is also punishable by imprisonment for ten years.

The legal position on not reporting child pornography:

Reporting child pornography is a duty of communication bodies, educators, medical professionals, social workers or others entrusted with the protection, care or education of children.

Anyone should inform the Child Protection Units, the child protection specialist or the relevant authorities or authorities if they feel that there is a threat to the child’s physical, psychological, moral or mental well-being.

The law prohibits the disclosure of the identity of the person who reported without his knowledge, as well as the disclosure of the identity of all parties to the incident and witnesses in cases of child abuse or ill-treatment, when the information is used in analyses or media reports or the publication of all possible identification of his personality.

The UAE law punishes anyone who fails to report with imprisonment or a fine of not less than (5,000) five thousand dirhams.

Every person who has reached the age of majority shall assist any child who is required to report his or her suffering or that of any of his or her siblings or any other child to the competent authorities or authorities concerned.

UAE law also imposes penalties on telecommunications authorities if they fail to report the publication of child pornography circulating through websites with a fine ranging from (100,000) one hundred thousand dirhams to (1,000,000) million dirhams.

CYBERCRIME

UAE strategies for achieving “cyber security”:

National Cyber Security Strategy:

The updated version of the National Cyber Security Strategy was launched in 2019 by the telecommunications and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (TRA) to:

Ensure that companies develop and grow in a safe and prosperous environment

Developing a cybersecurity environment

Developing cyber security standards

Develop the National Cyber Security Strategy by analyzing more than 50 sources of global indicators and publications

Compete with nearly 10 leading countries in the field of cybersecurity systems.

CYBERCRIME

Dubai Cyber Security Strategy:

Based on the importance of the emirate of Dubai, the Dubai Cyber Security Center has launched this strategy to protect the emirate of Dubai from the dangers and threats of cyberspace, as it outlines the necessary measures to reduce these risks and emphasizes the importance of compliance with legislation and laws related to cybercrime.

Objectives of the strategy:

  • The Dubai Cyber Security Strategy works to educate the community, public and private institutions and individuals on how to address these risks and to provide a secure infrastructure for organizations and individuals.
  • Encouraging scientific research and innovation in the field of cyber security.
  • Maintaining the flexibility of cyberspace by ensuring the continuity of IT systems
  • Collaborate with local and international sectors to manage cyber risks.

To see the text of laws and legislation to combat and control cybercrime, and to view government decisions related to activities carried out on the internet, you can see them through the following links:

https://elaws.moj.gov.ae

https://tdra.gov.ae

https://elaws.moj.gov.ae

Federal decree law No 2 of 2018 on Cybersecurity crimes Arabic (2)

قانون اتحادي رقم 12 لسنة 2016 بتعديل المرسوم بقانون اتحادي رقم 5 لشنة 2015 في شأن مكافحة الجرائم الإلكترونية

بشأن تنظيم نشر و تبادل البيانات في إمارة دبي قانون رقم (26) لسنة 2015

Contact Us

Contact Form en
Call Us