Fujairah authorities have arrested an Arab national identified as A.M. after he was found conducting unauthorised filming inside restricted sites in the emirate, according to a statement from competent authorities.
Investigators established that the suspect, who works for a media organisation, had no official permits to access the locations or carry out any recording activities there. He had entered the sites covertly before being detected and taken into custody.
The vehicle used to gain access belonged to a journalist employed by the Dubai bureau of a foreign media outlet — a detail that widened the scope of the investigation beyond the arrested individual.
Authorities further determined that footage recorded at the restricted sites was transmitted electronically to a news organisation based in London. The transmission, investigators said, was carried out without official authorisation and on the instructions of B.A., also identified as an Arab national and the Gulf regional branch manager of the company involved.
A.M. has been referred to the Public Prosecution, which will pursue legal action over the charges of entering prohibited areas and filming without a licence.
The UAE Public Prosecution used the case to restate the legal framework governing such activities, noting that simply being present inside a restricted zone — even without filming — constitutes a criminal offence under applicable law. The prohibition also extends to photographing, mapping, recording coordinates, or using any other form of documentation in areas where bans have been issued by competent authorities.
The Public Prosecution called on media professionals and organisations to secure prior official approval before conducting any filming, particularly in locations classified as sensitive or restricted.
