Sharjah Police warn of jail and fines starting at Dh100,000 for sharing false news
Residents who spread false news or rumors online risk at least a year in prison and a minimum Dh100,000 fine, Sharjah Police warned in an awareness campaign urging people to verify information before forwarding it.
Mariam Al Mansoori
How alarming posts spread
A video released by Sharjah Police Headquarters follows alarming content as users pass it to relatives and friends on WhatsApp, Instagram and other platforms without checking whether it is authentic. Examples include fabricated or outdated footage of industrial fires.
The campaign warns that such posts can quickly spread needless fear. Major Saud Al Shaiba, director of the Awareness Branch at Sharjah Police, said: "A single message can be enough to cause anxiety among hundreds of people." He warned that unverified claims can undermine social stability and leave people frightened by events that are not real.
Police called on citizens and residents to check both the source and authenticity of material before sharing it, and to turn to official government bodies and authorized news outlets for reliable information. They described responsible online behavior as a shared duty, warning that false claims can harm individuals and society well beyond the audience of the original post.
Penalties under Article 52
The police warning cites Article 52 of Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Combating Rumours and Cybercrimes. It covers broadcasting, publishing or republishing false news, rumors and misleading information through electronic platforms. The awareness message puts the minimum punishment at one year in prison and a Dh100,000 fine.
Article 52(2) raises those minimums to two years in prison and Dh200,000 when the act incites or provokes public opinion against a UAE authority or entity. The higher penalties also apply when the act occurs during an epidemic, crisis, emergency or disaster.
A separate warning from the Sharjah Public Prosecution on March 31, 2026, addressed false content shared as humor. Prosecutors said UAE law makes no distinction between misinformation presented as a joke and content that causes harm, and that intent is not a defense. People who circulate false material as an April Fool's joke can therefore still face criminal accountability.
The law's background and automated accounts
According to the UAE government's official legislation portal, the decree-law was issued on September 20, 2021, and became effective on January 2, 2022. Gulf News reported in January 2022 that it made major amendments to Federal Law No. 5 of 2012, the earlier Cybercrimes Law, and tightened penalties for online offenses.
The law also addresses automation separately. Article 54 criminalizes creating or modifying an "e-robot"—an automated account or program—with the intention of spreading or circulating false data or news inside the UAE, or enabling others to do so. That offense carries up to two years in prison, a fine ranging from Dh100,000 to Dh1,000,000, or both.
