UAE authorities detain 2 for broadcasting false news of 5 COVID-19 deaths in family

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The UAE Public Prosecution has warned individuals of serious consequences for sharing inaccurate information on COVID-19 that has a negative effect on society.

The news involved the death of 5 members of a family as a result of infection with coronavirus. The investigation stated that the news was a fake news and there is no such family.

The Public Prosecution said, “We have not and will not be lenient with anyone who doesn't follow their duty and is irresponsible, we will apply the law firmly and decisively, given that the recklessness in sharing inaccurate information has a negative effect on society.

“This incident has affected members of the Emirati community, citizens and residents, leaving them in a state of confusion and fear around the outbreak of the disease, all based on inaccurate information.”

The Public Prosecution office immediately and expeditiously launched an investigation around the incident and is still conducting in-depth investigations to determine the legal responsibility and the perpetrators and to determine the facts that are likely to be behind the incident.

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The Public Prosecution said, “The incident that was broadcast on Abu Dhabi Sports Channel is false and fabricated, the family does not exist and the story is completely fictitious made up by the first accused individual.”

The Public Prosecution said the channel’s correspondent, who is the second accused individual, contradicted his professional work duties and did not contact the relevant authorities to verify the accuracy of the information provided to him.

The Public Prosecutor has ordered the preventive detention of the aforementioned individuals pending investigation, in order to ensure the integrity of the investigation procedures that the Public Prosecution undertakes.

The Public Prosecution also said, “We are seeking a prosecution and are currently investigating, in order to clarify the situation and elements of what was published and the real motives behind the crime, the entities involved and people behind it.”

The Public Prosecution said, “We call on every official in the media field to exercise responsibility when dealing with the topic of COVID-19, those in general and social media pioneers in particular, in order to preserve the efforts made by our leaders and their relevant authorities.”

The Public Prosecution said based on our legal authority and our transparent societal responsibility, we stress again that we will not allow any unnecessary upset to the tranquility of society and the safety of its members.

The authorities said we would apply the law to everyone who is tempted to prejudice this aspect of people's lives.