UAE authorities have arrested at least 80 people across Dubai and Abu Dhabi for sharing or possessing social media content depicting Iranian attacks on the country, as Gulf states move to prosecute wartime digital activity under broad cybercrime laws.
UAE Attorney-General Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi ordered 35 arrests in two batches: 10 on March 14 and 25 on March 15, targeting nationals from nine countries, including India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Nepal, Bangladesh, Egypt, Cameroon, and Iran. Abu Dhabi Police separately apprehended 45 individuals for filming locations during active incidents and publishing the footage online.
الدفاعات الجوية الإماراتية تتعامل مع الصواريخ الباليستية والجوالة والمسيرات الإيرانية.
UAE Air Defences engaged Iranian
Ballistic and Cruise Missiles and UAVs Attacks#وزارة_الدفاع #وزارة_الدفاع_الإماراتية#MOD#UAEMinistryOfDefence pic.twitter.com/UElmhzI86y— وزارة الدفاع |MOD UAE (@modgovae) March 16, 2026
The 35 defendants charged by the Attorney-General fall into three categories. Some posted authentic footage of missile intercepts and air defense operations. Others circulated AI-generated video falsely depicting explosions and strikes on UAE landmarks. A third group published content that authorities said glorified Iranian military operations.
“Publishing such clips, whether real or fabricated, could affect public security and create confusion, in addition to providing hostile media with material that could be used to distort facts, undermine confidence in the competent authorities and potentially reveal aspects of the country’s defensive capabilities,” Al Shamsi said.
Under UAE law, the offenses carry a minimum one-year prison sentence and a fine of at least Dh100,000, roughly $27,200. Foreign nationals also face deportation.
Radha Stirling, CEO of advocacy group Detained in Dubai and Due Process International, said the legal exposure extends beyond original posters. “Under UAE cybercrime laws, the person who originally posts content can be charged, but so can anyone who reshares, reposts or comments on it,” Stirling said. “One video can quickly lead to dozens of people facing criminal charges.”
This is Dubai’s ultimate nightmare as its very essence depended on being a safe oasis in a troubled region. There might be a way to be resilient but there is no going back. pic.twitter.com/Wr7aMdWJMO
— Dr. Cinzia Bianco (@Cinzia_Bianco) February 28, 2026
According to the UAE Ministry of Defence, Iran has launched over 1,900 drones and missiles during the ongoing conflict, causing seven deaths and 145 injuries. A recent strike on March 16 in Abu Dhabi resulted in one fatality, slightly increasing the total toll from previous reports.
UAE air defences engage 6 ballistic missiles, 21 UAVs
The UAE air defence systems on 16th March 2026 engaged 6 ballistic missiles and 21 UAVs launched from Iran.
Since the onset of the blatant Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 304 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise… pic.twitter.com/KXZDanZjVN
— وزارة الدفاع |MOD UAE (@modgovae) March 16, 2026
Comparable prosecutions are underway across the region. Qatar has charged more than 200 people under similar cybercrime laws since the conflict began, Stirling said.
In Kuwait, multiple people were arrested for posting a video that “mocked the current situation in the country.”
Four people were arrested in Bahrain for filming attack sites, including military bases.
In Israel, two people were arrested after one made social media posts that exposed missile impact locations, the Jewish News Syndicate reported.
Al Shamsi said authorities “will continue to monitor such practices and take firm legal action against those responsible.”
