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Under UAE social media law, an insulting WhatsApp message, a photo of a stranger posted without consent and a forwarded rumour can each be a criminal offence. The main statute is Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Countering Rumours and Cybercrimes. It applies to residents and visitors alike, covers private chats as well as public posts, and sets minimum fines of AED 100,000 to AED 250,000 for the offences expats most often face.
Insult and defamation complaints end if the complainant withdraws, and insult, defamation and privacy cases can end in a settlement with the victim before a final judgment. Courts can also go below the minimum fines. If a complaint has been filed against you, the steps you take in the first days often decide whether it ends in a settlement or a trial.
Which laws apply to what you post in the UAE in 2026
- Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Countering Rumours and Cybercrimes (the Cybercrimes Law), in force since 2 January 2022. It covers social media, messaging apps, email and websites. Its only amendment, Federal Decree-Law No. 5 of 2024, raised the penalties for online support of terrorist groups (Article 21).
- Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021 on Crimes and Penalties (the Penal Code), which covers libel, insult and privacy offline (Articles 425 to 434) and deportation (Article 126).
- Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022 on Criminal Procedure, in force since 1 March 2023, which governs complaints, withdrawal, travel bans and settlement.
Enforcement tightened in 2026. In March, during the missile and drone attacks on the UAE, the Attorney General ordered the arrest of 25 people of several nationalities for filming, sharing or faking footage of the attacks, and referred them for expedited trial, as Gulf News reported. The false news article carries a higher minimum penalty during a crisis.
What can get an expat prosecuted: offences and penalties
“Imprisonment” in this table is the misdemeanour penalty (habs). Under Article 70 of the Penal Code it runs from one month to three years unless the article says otherwise. Article 25 does say otherwise (up to five years). Article 10 is different: it carries temporary imprisonment (sajn), which makes it a felony with a term of three to fifteen years (Penal Code, Article 69).
| What you did | Which law | Penalty in the law |
|---|---|---|
| Insulted someone, or accused them of something shameful, by post, comment, DM, email or WhatsApp | Cybercrimes Law, Article 43 | Imprisonment and/or a fine of AED 250,000 to 500,000; heavier if the victim is a public official insulted over their work |
| Photographed or filmed someone without consent in a way that invades their privacy (in a public or private place), kept or passed on such photos, or shared images of accident victims without permission | Cybercrimes Law, Article 44(2) and (4) | At least 6 months’ imprisonment and/or a fine of AED 150,000 to 500,000 |
| Published information or photos about someone to harm them, even if true | Cybercrimes Law, Article 44(3) | Same as above |
| Edited a photo or video to insult or defame someone | Cybercrimes Law, Article 44 (last paragraph) | At least 1 year’s imprisonment and/or a fine of AED 250,000 to 500,000 |
| Posted or reposted false news or rumours that disturb public peace or harm the public interest | Cybercrimes Law, Article 52 | At least 1 year’s imprisonment and a fine of at least AED 100,000; at least 2 years and AED 200,000 if it stirs opinion against state authorities, or during an epidemic, crisis, emergency or disaster |
| Mocked or damaged the reputation of the UAE, its institutions, leaders or national symbols | Cybercrimes Law, Article 25 | Up to 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to AED 500,000 |
| Used another IP address (for example, a VPN) to commit a crime or avoid detection | Cybercrimes Law, Article 10 | Temporary imprisonment and/or a fine of AED 500,000 to 2,000,000 |
| Accused or insulted someone publicly, offline | Penal Code, Articles 425 and 426 | Up to 2 years (accusation) or 1 year (insult), or a fine of up to AED 20,000 |
| Insulted someone by phone, face to face, or by letter | Penal Code, Article 427 | Up to 6 months or a fine of up to AED 5,000 (phone, or in person with others present); a fine of up to AED 5,000 only (in person with no one else present, or by letter) |
On conviction the court can also confiscate the device (Article 56). Actual sentences, though, are often lower. Under Articles 100 and 101 of the Penal Code, a court can go below the minimum in a misdemeanour where the circumstances call for clemency, or impose a fine instead of prison. In July 2026, Khaleej Times reported that an Abu Dhabi criminal court fined a woman AED 30,000 and ordered AED 21,000 in provisional compensation over an insulting WhatsApp voice note to a former colleague.
Do private WhatsApp messages count?
Yes. Article 43 does not require the insult to be public. A one-to-one message, a voice note or a comment in a closed group still goes through an information network, and the recipient’s screenshot is usually enough to start a complaint. The same words said in person with no one else present fall under Article 427 of the Penal Code, with a maximum fine of AED 5,000. Typed into WhatsApp, they fall under the Cybercrimes Law.
Common triggers are swearing in group chats and rows with landlords, ex-partners or former managers. Being angry, or knowing the person well, does not take the message outside the law, although it may affect the sentence.
Can you post a negative review of a business or employer?
Yes, within limits. An honest review of a service you used (“the food arrived cold”, “it took six weeks to get my deposit back”) is not an insult. The risk starts when the review attacks someone’s character or alleges a crime, such as calling an owner a thief or a company a scam. That can fall under Article 43, and naming or picturing staff can add a privacy issue under Article 44.
In July 2026 Khaleej Times reported an Abu Dhabi case in which an influencer’s restaurant video was found to target the owner personally rather than review the food. The court imposed a AED 30,000 fine, AED 51,000 in compensation and removal of the video. Reviews of a former employer carry the same risk, and employment disputes belong with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), not on Google Reviews.
Sharing and forwarding other people’s content
Article 52 expressly covers anyone who “re-disseminates” or “recirculates” false news, and Article 44 covers transferring, copying or keeping photos taken without consent. Forwarding a video of a road accident or a stranger in a café to a large group can expose you even though you did not film it. If you do not know where content came from, or whether the people in it agreed, do not pass it on. Influencers have extra duties, covered in our guide to obligations of social media influencers in the UAE.
Is using a VPN illegal in the UAE?
The Cybercrimes Law does not ban VPNs as such. Article 10 punishes using another IP address “with the intent to commit a crime or to prevent its detection”. The exposure arises when a VPN is used to hide another offence, such as posting insults from an anonymous account; the VPN then adds a separate felony charge, punishable by temporary imprisonment (three to fifteen years) and/or a fine of AED 500,000 to 2,000,000.
Will an expat be deported for a social media offence?
Not automatically. Under Article 126 of the Penal Code, deportation is mandatory only after a custodial sentence for a felony, such as a prison term under Article 10 for misusing a VPN. For a misdemeanour, such as most insult and privacy cases, the court may order deportation alongside or instead of a custodial sentence. A fine alone does not trigger Article 126. Separately, the Federal Public Prosecutor or the head of the ICP can order a foreigner’s administrative deportation, even with a valid residence visa, on public interest, security or morals grounds (Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 on Entry and Residence of Foreigners, Article 15). This power is used rarely, but it does not depend on a conviction. Deportation cannot be ordered against the spouse or first-degree relative of a UAE national unless the crime is against state security, and Article 71 of the Cybercrimes Law classes false news (Article 52) and mocking the state (Article 25) as exactly that.
What happens after a complaint is filed against you
- The complaint. The other person reports it at a police station, to the Public Prosecution, or online (in Dubai, through the Dubai Police eCrime service on the Dubai Police app or website). For insult and slander, only the victim, their legal guardian or someone holding their special power of attorney can file, within three months of learning of the offence and who committed it (Criminal Procedure Law, Article 11).
- The police stage. You are called to the police station or the e-crimes department to give a statement.
- The Public Prosecution. The prosecutor questions you. Your lawyer may attend and review the file unless the prosecutor decides otherwise (Article 98). Our article on the Public Prosecution in Dubai explains this stage.
- Travel ban or bail. The prosecutor can order a travel ban circulated to all UAE ports (Article 99), or release you on bail with a travel ban (Article 109). See how to check for a travel ban in the UAE.
- Decision. The prosecutor closes the file or refers it to the Misdemeanour Court. Some minor misdemeanours can be dealt with by a criminal order, a penalty issued without a full trial (Article 337); offences against state security cannot (Article 338).
- Judgment and appeal. The judgment can be appealed. The complainant can claim compensation in the criminal case or in a separate civil case.
Can the case be settled or the complaint withdrawn?
For most personal disputes, yes. There are three routes.
- Withdrawal. Insult and slander are complaint-based offences. The complainant can withdraw at any time before a final judgment, which ends the criminal case. A withdrawal after final judgment stops the sentence being carried out (Criminal Procedure Law, Article 17).
- Settlement with the victim. For online insult and defamation (Article 43), privacy violations (Article 44), online threats (Article 42(1)) and disclosure of work secrets (Article 45), the accused can rely on a settlement with the victim before the prosecutor or court until the judgment is final (Cybercrimes Law, Article 68). For online insult, the complainant can still withdraw after a final judgment, and the prosecution must then stop the sentence being carried out (Criminal Procedure Law, Article 17(5)). The offline offences in Penal Code Articles 425, 426, 427 and 431 can be settled even after a final judgment (Criminal Procedure Law, Articles 349, 350 and 357), and the prosecutor can refer the parties to criminal mediation (Article 352).
- Payment to the state. For some other offences, including false news (Article 52) and mocking the state (Article 25), the law allows the prosecutor or court to accept a payment to the state instead of continuing the case. The amount is set by reference to the fine, and is higher once the case has been referred to court (Cybercrimes Law, Article 67). This is entirely at the authorities’ discretion, and because these are state security offences, do not count on it.
A settlement ends the criminal case but not the civil claim, unless the agreement covers compensation (Criminal Procedure Law, Article 358). A good settlement agreement covers both, and removal of the content.
If you receive a police summons
- Do not delete anything. Keep the post, the chat and the messages around it. Deleting can look like concealment, and Article 18 of the Cybercrimes Law penalises account holders who tamper with digital evidence to obstruct an investigation. If the authorities order you to take content down, comply, because refusing is a separate offence (Article 53).
- Do not contact the complainant. A direct apology or a request to drop the case can become new evidence or be read as pressure. Any approach about withdrawal or settlement should go through a lawyer.
- Attend, but get advice before you give a statement. Ignoring a summons can lead to an arrest warrant or a travel ban (Article 99). Have a lawyer review the post and likely charge first.
- Ask for an interpreter and check the Arabic. Investigations are conducted in Arabic. If you do not speak Arabic, the police and prosecutor must use an approved interpreter (Criminal Procedure Law, Article 8). Ask for one. Do not sign a statement you have not had translated and understood.
- Gather your own evidence. Collect the full conversation, any provocation from the other side, dates and witnesses.
What to do now
- When posting about a business, stick to facts about the service and leave out names, faces and accusations of crime.
- Do not film or share people, accidents or security incidents, even in private groups, and do not forward news you cannot trace to an official source.
- If someone says they are filing a complaint, preserve everything and get advice that week, while settlement is easiest.
- If you are the victim, note the date you saw the content: you have three months to file an insult or slander complaint.
Frequently asked questions
Can I go to jail for a WhatsApp message in the UAE?
The law allows it: Article 43 of the Cybercrimes Law provides for imprisonment and/or a fine of AED 250,000 to 500,000. Insult cases between private individuals more often end in a fine, a settlement or a withdrawn complaint.
Is it illegal to take photos of people in public in the UAE?
It can be. Article 44 of the Cybercrimes Law punishes taking, keeping or sharing photos of someone without consent, in a public or private place, where this invades their privacy. Courts read that broadly, so the safe rule is not to photograph identifiable strangers or share their images without permission.
Is the truth a defence to defamation in the UAE?
Rarely. Under Article 428 of the Penal Code, proving the truth is a defence only where the statement concerns a public official’s conduct in their job, and not for events more than five years old. Reporting a matter in good faith to the police or another authority is not a crime (Article 430). Article 44 of the Cybercrimes Law punishes publishing even true information to harm someone.
Can a complaint be filed if I posted from outside the UAE?
Yes. Under Article 69 of the Cybercrimes Law, the law reaches offences committed abroad that harm a UAE national or resident, and offenders later found in the UAE. Deal with any open complaint before you travel.
Can the person I insulted withdraw the case?
Yes, at any time before a final judgment (Criminal Procedure Law, Article 17).
How Rubert & Partners can help
Rubert & Partners is a legal consultancy in Dubai. From the first police call, we assess the content and likely charge, prepare you for police and prosecution interviews, negotiate settlements and deal with travel bans. Where a case goes before the UAE criminal courts, we coordinate the defence with licensed UAE advocates; more on our criminal law page. We advise in English, Spanish, French and Arabic. To discuss a complaint, contact us.
This article is general information about UAE law as of October 2026 and is not legal advice.
