Picture used for illustrative purpose only.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The State Public Prosecution through a tweet posted on social media, clarified the crime of defamation of religion.

The Prosecution pointed out that, according to Article 4 of Federal Decree-Law No. 2 of 2015 on combating discrimination and hatred, whoever commits any of the following acts is considered a perpetrator of the offence of blasphemy:

— Offending, showing contempt or irreverence toward the Divine Entity

— Offending, insulting, challenging , defaming or disrespecting any religion or any of its rituals or sacred things, or disrupting or preventing licensed religious observances or ceremonies by violence or threat.

— Distorting, destroying, desecrating or insulting, in any way, any of the holy books.

— Insulting, disrespecting, offending or defaming one of the messengers or their spouses , family or companions.

— Destroying, damaging or desecrating the sanctity of places of worship, cemeteries or graves, appurtenances or any of their contents.

The Public Prosecution explained that Article 5 of the same decree stipulates that whoever commits any of the acts stipulated in the Law shall be punished with imprisonment for a period of no less than five years and a fine of no less than Dhs250,000 and not more than Dhs1 million, or one of these two penalties.

Clauses /2, 3, 5/ of Article /4/ of this Decree, by one of the methods of expression or other forms or by using any of the means.

The same article also stipulates that whoever commits any of the acts stipulated in items 1 and 4 of Article 4 of this shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of no less than seven years and a fine of no less than Dhs500,000 and not more than Dhs2 million.

Decree-Law by one of the means of expression or other forms or by using any of the means.

The publication of these legal tweets comes within the framework of the Public Prosecution's keenness to enhance the legal culture among members of society, and to raise the level of public awareness of laws, which contributes to reducing the rate of violations resulting from ignorance of laws.