Man gets 10 years for cybercrimes

ABU DHABI: The Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeals has sentenced a man to 10 years in prison for violating the Federal Law No. 5 of 2012 on Combating Cybercrimes, while another man would spend five years behind the bars after being found guilty by the State Security Chamber of the UAE Federal Supreme Court for joining the terrorist organisation, Daesh.

The Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeals sentenced a 45-year-old male, identified as ‘H.A.A.T’, to 10 years in prison after being convicted of establishing several social networking accounts (on Facebook and Twitter), and publishing media articles detailing false information that harms UAE society and raising sectarian strife, in clear violation of Federal Law No. 5 of 2012 on Combating Cybercrimes.

The Court ordered the confiscation of all devices used to commit the crimes, as well as the wiping of all data produced by the defendant, as well as the closing of all accounts associated to the defendant.

 The sentenced individual was also ordered to bear the cost of all judicial expenses.

In another case, the State Security Chamber of the UAE Federal Supreme Court sentenced a 22-year-old male, identified as ‘A.A.A.M.B’ to a five-year prison sentence, and a fine of Dhs1,000,000.

It also ordered the confiscation of the devices found at the location of the crime. According to the court ruling, the defendant would also have to bear the cost of all judicial expenses.

A.A.A.M.B was found guilty for joining the terrorist organisation, Daesh, following his announcement to join the group via his Twitter account and pledging allegiance to the leader of the terror organisation.

The Court also convicted him of using his Twitter account to disseminate detrimental information and articles promoting Al Qaeda and Daesh, whilst also urging young individuals to join these terrorist groups, knowing full well the reality and objectives of these terrorist organisations.

The Court said that the guilty was in violation of Articles 1, 22, and 45 of Federal Law No. 07 of 2014 on Combating Terrorism Offences, and Articles 1, 9, 26 and 41 of Federal Law No. 05 of 2012 on Combatting Cybercrimes.

WAM