A British man was charged under cybercrime laws in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), for allegedly filming Iranian missiles over the city. The 60-year-old man is being detained.
Reported CNNSunday (15/3/2026), the 60 year old man was reported to be a tourist. He was charged under a law that prohibits publishing or sharing material that could harm public safety.
“We are in contact with local authorities following the detention of a British man in the UAE,” the British Foreign Office told CNN.
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UAE Minister of State for the European Union, Lana Nusseibeh, told BBC that he was ‘aware’ there had been some breaches of the law but did not comment specifically on the British man’s case. He said the existing regulations had been introduced for public safety.
“My best advice to everyone here, whom we welcome is to follow the guidelines. The guidelines are there for your safety and protection,” said Nusseibeh.
The penalty for violating cybercrime laws in the UAE is a minimum prison sentence of 2 years, as well as a fine of 200,000 UAE dirhams or around IDR 925 million. In an interview on British radio station LBC, the UAE’s ambassador to the UK, Mansoor Abulhoul, said that ‘the United Arab Emirates is very safe’.
“Guidelines and regulations exist in the UAE to ensure public safety,” he said.
He said the UAE prohibited people from filming so they would not be hit by ‘falling debris’. The UAE Attorney General has warned the public against sharing photos or videos showing the location of the attack or inaccurate information that could cause panic.
Another government warning, distributed via emails, text messages and public information announcements, states ‘Photographing or sharing security or important sites, or reposting unreliable information, may result in legal action and endanger national security and stability. Compliance helps maintain the security and stability of society’.
“Think before sharing. Spreading rumors is a crime,” the UAE warned.
In a post on British citizens are subject to UAE law, violations may result in fines, imprisonment or deportation.
More than 1,800 drones and missiles have been launched at the UAE since the US-Israel war with Iran began. Six people died and 141 people were injured.
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