This is a very serious offence that has caught a lot of people in the past. The UAE is very strict about respecting the privacy of individuals, and taking a photo of someone without their knowledge or consent is taken very seriously. This is exacerbated when you post these images on social media platforms. Under cybercrime laws, you can be fined up to 500,000 dirhams (£107,816) and six months in prison for the offence, although in practice the penalties are much harsher as various visitors have been deported. The official legal system in the United Arab Emirates is Sharia, which was developed from the Holy Quran as well as the Scriptures of the Sunnah, the annals of the Prophet Muhammad. Sharia is as much a legal right as it is a moral guide to etiquette and conduct. Sharia law is complemented by other non-religious laws, and the two go hand in hand. In 2019, people will have a drink at a restaurant overlooking the marina district in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The country is relaxing its alcohol laws and other restrictions. Kamran Jebreili/AP Hide the legend Although Sharia law has notoriously strict laws, some of which are difficult to understand in the non-Muslim world, they are complemented by secular laws that offer a mix of laws that suit both Muslims and foreign expats and visitors.
And while the death penalty still exists, as in some parts of the United States, the laws are there to protect citizens and foreigners in the country and to defend cultural and religious traditions. And if you look at the crime and security statistics, the approach seems to be working. Under the UAE`s cybercrime laws, VPN users can face fines ranging from 500,000 to 2 million dirhams (£107,855 and £431,421) if they «use a fake IP address or third-party address in any other way to commit a crime or prevent its detection». Whether you`re trying to access a restricted or blocked website or downloading copyrighted material, you risk a hefty fine. Perhaps the most ambiguous offense on this list, anything that is interpreted as a rumor is punishable under UAE law. Gossip, especially on social media, can carry a three-year prison sentence and a fine of up to 1 million dirhams (£215,754). With the intention of taking action against those who «harm social peace and public order» and pose a threat to «national peace», the UAE has very strict laws on the dissemination of news on the Internet. New labor laws could theoretically improve the rights of migrant workers who have been working in the UAE for years with minimal protection, often housed in appalling conditions. But much depends on how these laws are enforced – which experts say is far from clear. Kristian Ulrichsen, a UAE expert and analyst at Rice University`s Baker Institute for Public Policy, says a key question is how the new laws will be applied uniformly, especially in the more conservative of the UAE`s seven emirates. For some social laws, he says, «we may not know for two or three years if there have been any real changes.» Dubai and the rest of the UAE have a very different political structure than most countries in Europe and North America. Dubai`s (mostly Muslim) religious and political systems mean that the laws are different from those of other countries in the world.
The rules may seem strict to expats, but people usually understand that you may not know what is acceptable. The UAE is known as a popular business destination that tends to punish those who violate its conservative Muslim laws. Now, experts say, the UAE wants to change its image. The country is in the process of revising laws that affect the regulation of a variety of commercial, cultural and social norms. On paper, this makes the UAE one of the most advanced countries in the region, although critics say the reality remains much more complex. The legal system of the United Arab Emirates is based on the civil law system with influences from Islamic, French, Roman and Egyptian laws. [1] If you know the laws and are willing to accept them, Dubai can be a wonderful place to live. Many expats appreciate the warm climate and wealth of the area, but you have to decide for yourself if this outweighs the social constraints. The laws and customs of the United Arab Emirates are very different from those of the United Kingdom. Be aware of your actions to make sure they don`t offend, especially during the holy month of Ramadan or if you intend to visit religious areas. There may be serious penalties for something that may not be illegal in the UK.
It is highly recommended that you familiarize yourself with and abide by local laws and customs. While a lot of excitement has been sparked by the strict drug laws that have been relaxed in 2022 regarding THC, drug trafficking can still carry the death penalty. More information on the UAE`s drug laws can be found here. Similarly, laws on extramarital cohabitation and single parents have been greatly relaxed as they are now legal and laws on rape and sexual assault have been made clearer and stricter. Federal laws are published in the Official Gazette of the United Arab Emirates within a maximum period of two weeks from the date of their signature by the President. While there are various well-known laws to follow in Dubai and the surrounding EMIRATES, some of the UAE`s lesser-known restrictions are often overlooked. From Dubai to Abu Dhabi, these are some of the strangest ways to be arrested, fined or even deported from the country. The Official Gazette of the United Arab Emirates is the regular official publication of laws and decrees issued by the Government of the United Arab Emirates. Most of the new laws apply to both Emiratis and foreigners. They decriminalize consensual sex before marriage and allow unmarried couples to live together. These changes appear to apply only to heterosexual couples; Same-sex couples were punished. The new laws legalize the consumption of alcohol without a license.
The reforms also toughen penalties for sexual harassment and rape and remove leniency from the courts in dealing with so-called «honour killings.» The country now allows civil marriage – not just marriage under Islamic law – a practice that is still not available in many other Middle Eastern countries. And foreigners can follow the laws of their home country in certain matters such as inheritance and divorce. This also extends to your online activities. The use of swear words in WhatsApp messages or on any other social network or messaging platform violates the cyber laws of the United Arab Emirates. This includes sending emojis of the above indecent gestures. You can face a fine of up to 250,000 dirhams (£53,928), imprisonment or deportation.