According to the publication, the punishment can be up to two years in prison and fines ranging from 20,000 to 200,000 dirhams. Foreigners may be deported in addition to fines or prison sentences. Among those accused is a 60-year-old British man who was in Dubai as a tourist, and who was found with a video of an Iranian missile strike on his phone.
The Guardian notes that in the UAE, the distribution of such materials is considered a threat to public safety and can cause panic. This means that not only the content creators may be targeted, but also those who forward or comment on the published videos.
The publication also reports that similar measures are in place in Bahrain, and control over internet publications has intensified in the context of the conflict.
