The United Arab Emirates has ordered the arrest of 35 individuals, including 19 Indians, for allegedly publishing misleading and fabricated videos on social media amid regional tensions linked to the Israel-US-Iran tensions.
According to the reports, the accused have been referred for an expedited trial. Authorities said the arrests followed extensive monitoring of digital platforms to curb the spread of misinformation and artificial content that could incite panic and undermine national stability.
Reports suggest that Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, the Attorney-General of the UAE, has said investigations revealed that the accused were divided into three groups involved in different activities.
The first group of 10 people reportedly circulated authentic video clips showing the interception of missiles and gatherings of people observing such incidents in the UAE’s airspace, adding commentary and sound effects that suggested active attacks and could trigger public panic. This group includes five Indians along with nationals from Pakistan, Nepal, the Philippines and Egypt.
The second group of seven individuals reportedly shared fabricated visual content generated using artificial intelligence or reused footage from incidents outside the country while falsely claiming they occurred in the UAE. Additionally reports suggest that these clips often showed explosions or missiles and included national flags or dates to make the false claims appear credible. Five of those accused in this group are Indians and one each from Nepal and Bangladesh.
The third group of six individuals allegedly posted content glorifying a hostile state and promoting its military actions while praising its leadership. Five of those accused are Indians and one is Pakistani. Authorities also said two other Indians face similar charges.
Earlier, on Saturday, prosecutors had already ordered the arrest and detention of 10 individuals, including two Indians, in connection with the case. As per reports, such offences are punishable under UAE law with imprisonment of at least one year and a fine of no less than AED 100,000.
Reports suggest that accused circulated manipulated videos created using AI that falsely depicted explosions, strikes on landmarks, or fires across the country, sometimes exploiting children’s emotions to suggest security threats and spread fear among the public.
Leave a Reply