The UAE has long been notorious for its crackdowns on social media use, and the regional conflict involving Iran has only intensified that approach. Over the past several months, Emirati authorities have expanded the use of cybercrime legislation to prosecute not only public online expression but also content shared through private digital platforms. International human rights organizations have documented a sharp increase in arrests linked to online activity, raising renewed concerns about freedom of expression, privacy, and the increasingly broad interpretation of the country’s cybercrime laws.
The most recent case involves a British flight attendant who was arrested in early April after sending a photo of a drone to a private WhatsApp chat. The caption simply asked whether it was safe to walk through the airport. He now faces up to two years in an Emirati prison and a fine of 50,000 dollars.
Others were arrested for far less. A 60 year old woman was detained simply for filming a drone as it came down, despite never posting the footage on any platform and deleting it on the spot when approached by police.
What makes the situation more troubling is the apparent inconsistency in how the law is applied. Most people caught up in these arrests had no idea such laws even existed. Yet those with the right connections seem to operate by a different set of rules entirely. An influencer with 300,000 followers who posted footage of an explosion was quietly asked to delete the video and publish a correction. No arrest, no charges, no fine.
The situation inside detention facilities paints an equally grim picture. Those arrested in recent weeks are being held in overcrowded conditions, with up to 60 people confined to small shared spaces. Detainees are being asked to sign statements written in Arabic on a tablet, with little to no explanation of what they are agreeing to. Access to food, medical care and basic communication is severely limited. Lawyers are increasingly refusing to take on cases framed under a national security framework, leaving many detainees without legal representation. Even embassies are being kept at arm’s length, with consular access either heavily restricted or denied outright.
The cybercrime laws themselves have drawn sharp criticism for undermining fundamental rights, particularly freedom of expression. Among the acts they criminalise are defamation, slander and libel, incitement to violence or terrorism, and the publication of content deemed harmful to public safety or public order. The laws also target material that exploits or endangers children, as well as content that promotes racism or hatred. The broad and vague framing of these provisions gives authorities enormous discretion, making it easy to weaponise them against ordinary people, tourists, and dissenting voices alike.
Recent legal guidance issued by Emirati legal practitioners has further clarified that criminal liability under the UAE’s Anti-Rumors and Cybercrime Law is not limited to creating unlawful content. Individuals may also face prosecution for forwarding, reposting, or sharing unverified information, including within private messaging applications such as WhatsApp. The growing application of these provisions has reinforced concerns that digital communications once regarded as private are increasingly subject to state scrutiny and criminal sanctions.
The implications extend beyond tourists and occasional social media users. Journalists, human rights defenders, researchers, expatriates, and ordinary residents increasingly operate in an environment where uncertainty surrounding cybercrime legislation encourages self-censorship. As enforcement expands beyond public platforms to private conversations and closed online groups, concerns continue to grow over the compatibility of the UAE’s legal framework with international standards protecting freedom of expression and the right to privacy.
Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls on the UAE authorities to respect and protect fundamental rights and freedoms and to refrain from the selective or arbitrary application of legislation. The organization further urges the authorities to uphold the principle of equality before the law and ensure that laws are applied without discrimination, regardless of an individual’s nationality, status, or influence.
ADHRB also calls on the UAE to protect the right to freedom of expression, including by refraining from criminalizing individuals for the peaceful expression of their views in private communications. The organization further urges the authorities to bring domestic laws and practices into compliance with the UAE’s international human rights obligations and to strengthen transparency and accountability in law enforcement, ensuring that legislation is not used to restrict fundamental rights or undermine the principles of justice and the rule of law.
