Ten individuals of unspecified nationalities are facing criminal charges in the UAE after authorities accused them of spreading doctored and misleading video content on social media during a period of heightened regional instability.
The Public Prosecution has begun interrogating the defendants, who were referred to urgent trial on orders from Attorney-General Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi. All 10 have been placed in remand custody pending the outcome of legal proceedings.
Investigators found that the defendants circulated a mix of genuine and artificially generated footage. Some clips showed real air defence systems in operation, while others — produced using AI tools — falsely depicted explosions, strikes on prominent landmarks, and large fires in various parts of the country. Additional material misrepresented incidents from abroad as having occurred inside the UAE.
Authorities said certain videos were designed to exploit children’s emotional responses and falsely suggest the destruction of domestic military installations, with the stated intent of provoking public anxiety and distorting the national security picture.
Dr Al Shamsi said that circulating such material — even when the footage is authentic — poses a risk to public order by exposing defensive capabilities and supplying hostile media with content that can be used against national institutions.
Under UAE law, the charges carry a minimum sentence of one year in prison and a fine of no less than Dh100,000. The Attorney-General said anyone found culpable will face immediate criminal accountability, and that digital platform monitoring will continue with firm enforcement action against future violations.
