Federal Law by Decree No. (31) of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law (security and safety law)

Article (1) 
Introductory Provisions  
The provisions of the Islamic Sharia shall apply to the crimes punishable by retribution 
(Qisas) and crimes punishable by blood money (Diya). The other crimes and their prescribed 
penalties shall be defined in accordance with the provi sions of this Law and the other penal 
codes in force.

Article (2) 
No person may be convicted for a crime committed by another. And the accused is innocent 
until proven guilty in accordance with the law.

Article (3) 
The provisions of Book One of this La w shall apply to the crimes provided for in the other 
penal laws, unless there is a stipulation therein to the contrary.

Article (4) 
Unless the context of this Law otherwise requires, the term "Government" shall include the 
Federal Government and the gov ernments of the Emirates members of the Federation.

Article (5) 
A public servant as per the provisions of this Law, shall mean any person occupying a federal 
or local job, whether legislative, executive, administrative or judicial, and whether he is 
appo inted or elected; including:  
   
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 1. Persons entrusted with the public authority and employees working in ministries and 
governmental departments.  
2. Members of the Armed Forces.  
3. Security authorities' employees.  
4. Members of judicial authorities and chairmen and membe rs of legislative, consultative 
and municipal councils.  
5. Whoever is delegated by any of the public authorities to perform a specific assignment 
within the limits of the assigned entrusted thereto.  
6. Chairmen and members of boards of directors, managers and al l other employees 
working in public entities and corporations, and companies partially or wholly owned by 
the federal government or the local governments.  
7. Chairmen and members of boards of directors, managers and all other employees 
working in associations  and public benefit institutions.  
8. Employees in entities whose funds are public funds in this Law or in any other law.  
Whoever is not included in the categories stated in the preceding Clauses and performs 
work connected to public service in accordance with  a contract with an entity whose funds 
are public funds, or an assignment issued thereto by a public servant having the power to 
give such an assignment by virtue of prescribed laws or systems, concerning the work 
contracted on or assigned thereto, shall b e considered to be entrusted with a public service 
under the provisions of this Law.  
The job, work or service may be permanent or temporary, with or without pay, voluntarily or 
compulsory.  
The termination of the job, work or service shall not prevent the a pplication of the 
provisions of this Law whenever the crime has been committed during the existence of the 
capacity.

Article (6) 
1. A foreigner public servant in accordance with this Law shall be: any person who 
occupies a legislative, executive, administra tive or judicial position in another country,  
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 whether permanent or temporary, and whether he is appointed or elected, with or 
without pay, and any person entrusted with a public service.  
2. An employee of an international organization in accordance with this Law shall be: any 
person who occupies a position in an international organization or is authorized by such 
organization to act on its behalf.

Article (7) 
Public funds in accordance with this Law shall be:  
1. Funds owned, in part or in whole, by a federal or  local authority, a federal or local public 
entity and corporation, a company partially or wholly owned by the federal government 
or the local government, or an association or public benefit institution.  
2. Any funds that are subject to the management or supe rvision of one of the entities 
provided for in Paragraph (1) of this Article or if such an entity has the right to utilize 
them and benefit therefrom.  
3. Funds owned by any other entity that this Law stipulates that its funds are considered 
public funds.

Article (8) 
No punitive measure shall be imposed except in the cases and under the conditions 
stipulated by the Law. Provisions relative to penalties shall, unless otherwise provided, apply 
to punitive measures.

Article (9) 
The provisions of this Law that apply to the crimes against the President of the State shall 
apply to crimes committed against the Vice President of the State and the members of the 
Federal Supreme Council and their Crown Princes and Deputies.

Article (10)  
Under this Law, the following  shall be considered means of publicity:   
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 1. Any speech or shout uttered publicly or conveyed through any means in a public 
gathering or place or a in place open for the public.  
2. Any acts, gestures, or movements performed in a public gathering or place or a in place 
open for the public, or conveyed to the persons who are in such places through any 
other means, or witnessed by those who are not party thereto.  
3. Writings, drawings, and pictures or symbols, or audio, visual or reading materials, or 
films or other mea ns of expression means, if displayed in a public gathering or place or a 
in place open for the public, or distributed or circulated without discrimination by any 
means, or sold or offered for sale to people in any place.

Article (11)  
Periods and dates pr ovided for in this Law shall be computed in accordance with the 
Gregorian calendar, unless the Law stipulates otherwise.

Article (12)  
The provisions of this Law shall in no case prejudice any rights of refund or indemnity, or 
expenses or any other rights  which may be pertaining to the adversaries or other parties.  
  
Section  Two  
Scope of Application of the Law  
Chapter One  
 Temporal Application of the Law

Article (13)  
A crime shall be punished according to the law in force at the time at which it is commit ted. 
In order to determine the law in force, the time at which the criminal acts are performed 
shall be taken into consideration, regardless of the time at which the results thereof are 
realized.  
   
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Article (14)  
If, after the crime is committed and before a  final judgment is issued thereon, a law that is 
more favourable to the accused is promulgated, such law shall alone be applicable.  
And if, after the judgment has become final, a law is promulgated deeming the act or 
omission, for which the accused has bee n convicted, as not punishable, the judgment shall 
be stayed and its penal effects shall cease, unless the new law stipulates otherwise.  
But if the new law only extenuates the penalty, the court which has issued the final 
judgment shall, upon the request o f the Public Prosecution or the convict, amend the 
penalty imposed according to the provisions of the new law.

Article (15)  
Notwithstanding the preceding Article, if a law is promulgated, deeming an act or an 
omission as a crime, or increasing the penalt y that has previously prescribed therefor, and if 
said law is temporary and limited to a specific period of time, or if some exceptional and 
unexpected circumstances have caused such law to be promulgated, in such a case, the 
expiry of the period set for i ts application or the forfeiture of the exceptional and 
unexpected circumstances shall neither prevent from filing criminal cases for any crime 
committed within said expired period, nor preclude the execution of the penalty which may 
have been imposed in a ccordance with said law.

Article (16)  
The new Law shall apply to all continuous or successive crimes committed before it its entry 
into force and to habitual crimes which have been committed repeatedly after the new Law 
has entered into force.  
And if the  new Law amends the provisions relating to recidivism or plurality of crimes or 
penalties, it shall apply to any crime which causes the accused to be subject to the provisions 
of plurality or which considers him a recidivist; even if the other crimes were committed 
before the said new law has entered into force.  
   
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 Chapter Two  
Spatial Application of the Law and Its Application to Persons

Article (17)  
The provisions of this Law shall apply to any one who commits a crime on the territory of 
the State. The Stat e's territory includes its lands and any place under its sovereignty, 
including the territorial waters and the airspace above them.  
A crime shall be deemed as committed on the State's territory if one of the acts constituting it 
has been committed thereon or if its results have been, or have been intended to be, 
produced thereon.

Article (18)  
The provisions of this Law shall apply to such crimes committed onboard warships and 
military aircraft flying the flag of the State, wherever they are.  
This provisio n shall also apply to non -military ships and aircraft owned by the State or 
managed for non -commercial purposes, as well as commercial ships and aircraft flying the 
flag of the State.

Article (19)  
Without prejudice to the agreements and conventions to wh ich the State is a party, the 
provisions of this Law shall not apply to crimes committed onboard foreign ships in a port of 
the State or in its territorial waters, except in any of the following events:  
1. If the effects of the crime extend to the State.  
2. If the crime by its nature prejudices the security of the State or disturbs peace in the State 
or contravenes public morals or good order in its seaports or territorial sea.  
3. If the captain of the ship or the consul of the State flying its flag requests assista nce from 
the local authorities.  
4. If the perpetrator or the victim is a citizen of the State.  
5. If the ship carries materials or things prohibited to be circulated, acquired or traded 
internationally.   
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 In respect of the crimes committed onboard foreign aircraft  in the air territory of the State, 
the provisions of this Law shall not apply unless the aircraft lands in any of its airports after 
committing the crime or if the crime by its nature disturbs peace in the State or prejudices its 
public order or if the cr ime constitutes violation of the regulations and provisions organizing 
navigation in the State or the pilot requests assistance from the local authorities or if the 
perpetrator or the victim is a citizen of the State.

Article (20)  
This Law shall apply to  any person who performs, outside the State, an act which causes him 
to be considered a perpetrator or an accomplice of a crime which is wholly or partially 
committed in the State.

Article (21)  
This Law shall apply to any individual who performs, outside  the State, an act which causes 
him to be considered a perpetrator or an accomplice of one of the following crimes:  
1. Crimes against the external or internal security of the State, its constitutional regime or 
its bonds issued under legal license, or in conn ection with its stamps, or crimes of 
falsification or counterfeiting of its official documents or seals.  
2. Crimes of falsification, counterfeiting or forgery of the State's money, or circulation or 
possession thereof with the intention of circulating them, w hether such acts are 
committed inside or outside the State.  
3. Crimes of falsification, counterfeiting or forgery of coined or paper money which is 
legally circulated in the State, or crimes of circulating such coined or paper money in the 
State or the posses sion thereof with the intention circulating them.  
4. Crimes of premeditated murder against a citizen of the State.

Article (22)  
This Law shall apply to any person who is present in the State upon committing abroad, as a 
perpetrator or an accomplice, a crime  of sabotage or impairment of international means of  
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 communications, crimes of trading in drugs, women, children or slaves or the crimes of 
international piracy and terrorism or money laundering.

Article (23)  
Any citizen who performs outside the State, a n act that is considered a crime according to 
the provisions of this Law, as a perpetrator or an accomplice, shall be punished in 
accordance with its provisions if he returns to the State and such act is punishable under the 
law of the country where it is committed.  
This provision shall apply to any individual who acquires the nationality of the State after 
having performed said act. For the purpose of applying this Article, any person without 
nationality shall be treated as a citizen if he has a permanent residence in the State.

Article (24)  
Only the Public Prosecutor may file a criminal action against a person who has committed a 
crime abroad. Said action may not be filed against the person who is proven to have been 
finally acquitted by foreign Courts, or have been convicted and have served fulfilled the 
penalty, or if the criminal action or the penalty imposed has been legally forfeited, or if the 
competent authorities of such country has docketed the investigations.  
The law of the country where the jud gment has been issued shall be the competent law to 
decide whether such judgment has become final or not, whether the action or the penalty 
has been forfeited or not and whether the investigation has been docketed or not. If the 
penalty imposed has not bee n completely served, its period must be completed. However, if 
the judgment of acquittal concerns a crime provided for in Articles (21) and (22), due to the 
fact that such crime is not punishable under the law of that country, a criminal action may in 
this case be filed against him before the State's Courts.  
The competent federal court located in the Federal Capital shall have jurisdiction to consider 
the criminal action.  
  
  
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Article (25)  
When executing the penalty against the convict, the period which he has  served in custody, 
in preventive detention, electronic probation, or in execution of the penalty abroad for the 
crime for which he has been convicted shall be taken into account.

Article (26)  
The provisions of this Law shall not apply in the territory o f the United Arab Emirates to 
persons enjoying immunity in accordance with the international agreements or 
international or domestic laws.  
  
Section  Three  
Crimes  
 Chapter One  
Types of Crimes

Article (27)  
1. Crimes are of three types:  
a. Felonies . 
b. Misdemeanour . 
c. Infractions . 
2. The type of a crime shall be determined by the type of penalty prescribed therefor in the 
Law. If the crime is punishable by a fine or Diya in addition to any other penalty, its type 
shall be determined according to the other penalty.

Article (28)  
The type of crime shall not change if the court has replaced the penalty prescribed therefor 
with another penalty that is milder, whether due to legal excuses or due to discretionary 
extenuating circumstances, unless the law stipulates otherwise.  
   
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Article (29)  
A felony is a crime punishable by any of the following penalties:  
1. Any of the Qisas penalties.  
2. Death penalty.  
3. Life imprisonment.  
4. Temporary imprisonment.

Article (30)  
A misdemeanour is a crime that is punishable by one or more of the following penalties:  
1. Imprisonment.  
2. A fine of more than (10,000) ten thousand AED.  
3. Diya.  
The amount of Diya for manslaughter of a male or female shall be determined at (200,000) 
two hundred thousand AED.  
By a decision of the Cabinet, upon a proposal by the Minister o f Justice, the amount of Diya 
stipulated in the previous paragraph may be modified by an increase or decrease.

Article (31)  
An infraction is any act or omission punishable under the laws or regulations, by one or both 
of the two following penalties:  
1. Cust ody for not less than twenty -four hours and not more than (10) ten days. Such 
custody shall be performed by confining the convict in one of the places designated for 
that purpose.  
2. A fine not exceeding (10,000) ten thousand AED.  
  
 
 
 
  
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 Chapter Two  
Basic Elements  of the Crime  
Part  One  
Material Element  
1. Consummated Crime

Article (32)  
The material element of a crime consists of a criminal activity involving a commission or 
omission of an act whenever such commission or omission is criminal according to the law.

Article (33)  
No person shall be held responsible for a crime that is not the result of his criminal activity, 
but he shall be held responsible for the crime even if his criminal activity contributed in its 
occurrence with another preceding, contemporary, or subsequent, whenever such cause is 
expected or probable according to the normal course of events.  
However, if said cause is sufficient in itself to produce the effects of the crime, said person 
shall in this case be held responsible only for his own act.

Article (34)  
Instantaneous crimes are those punishable acts which, by nature, occur and end once they 
are committed.  
The series of consecutive acts shall be considered an instantaneous crime when they are 
committed in execution of a single criminal scheme  aiming at one right without being 
separated by a period of time severing their connection.  
However, where the act is a continuous process, requiring the renewed intervention of the 
perpetrator for a period of time, it is, in this case, a continuous crime.  The continuity of the 
crime's effects after committing it shall not be taken into consideration in order to decide 
that the crime is continuous, if such effects continue without the intervention of the 
perpetrator.  
   
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 2. Attempt

Article (35)  
An attempt mea ns an effort or endeavour to commit a crime, which has been prevented or 
has not produced the effect intended due to reasons beyond the perpetrator's will.  
Committing an act which is deemed, by itself, as a constituent part of the material element of 
the c rime, or which entails immediately and directly such element, shall be considered an 
attempt.  
But neither mere intention of committing a crime nor the preparatory acts thereto shall be 
considered as an attempt, unless the law stipulates otherwise.

Article (36)  
An attempt to commit a felony shall be punishable by the following penalties, unless the law 
stipulates otherwise:  
1. Life imprisonment, if the penalty prescribed for the crime is death.  
2. Temporary imprisonment, if the penalty prescribed for the crime is  life imprisonment.  
3. Imprisonment for a period not exceeding half of the maximum period prescribed for the 
crime, or detention if the penalty for the crime is temporary imprisonment.

Article (37)  
The law shall determine which the misdemeanours in which at tempt is punishable, as well 
as the penalty for such attempt.

Article (38)  
The provisions regarding ancillary penalties and criminal measures to be prescribed for 
consummated crimes shall apply to the attempt.  
  
 
 
  
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 Part  Two  
Moral Element

Article (39)  
The mo ral element of the crime consists of the intention or the error.  
The intention exists when the will of the perpetrator is to commit or omit an act whenever 
such commission or omission is deemed a crime by law, with the aim to produce a direct 
result or any  other result deemed a crime by law and which the perpetrator had expected to 
occur.  
There is error when the criminal result is achieved because of the perpetrator's mistake, 
whether such said mistake is negligence, lack of vigilance, lack of precaution, r ecklessness, 
imprudence or noncompliance with the laws, regulations, rules or orders.

Article (40)  
Where an act is committed because of a mistake of facts, the liability of the perpetrator shall 
be restricted to the facts which he believed they existed, if such facts are to negate or reduce 
his liability, provided that his belief was based on reasonable causes and on a real effort of 
search and investigation.  
But if the mistake which caused the perpetrator to believe he is not liable is due to his 
neglige nce or lack of precaution, he shall be held responsible for a non -premeditated crime, 
if the law punishes the act as being such.

Article (41)  
The motive of committing the crime shall not be taken into consideration, unless the law 
stipulates otherwise.

Article (42)  
Where the perpetrator ignores the existence of an aggravating circumstance altering the 
characterization of the crime, he shall not be held responsible, but he shall benefit from the 
excuse even if he has ignored its existence.   
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Article (43)  
Ignorance of the provisions of this Law is not an excuse.

Article (44)  
The perpetrator of a crime shall be liable for it whether he has committed it deliberately or 
by mistake, except in the cases where the law expressly stipulates premeditation.  
  
Chap ter Three  
Criminal Complicity

Article (45)  
Any individual who has committed a crime alone or who has acted as direct accomplice 
therein shall be considered a perpetrator thereof. The accomplice shall be deemed a direct 
one in the following cases:  
1. If he com mits the crime in association with others.  
2. If he participates in committing the crime, which consists of a series of acts, and he 
deliberately commits one of the acts of which the crime is constituted.  
3. If he makes use of another person, in any way whatever , for the perpetration of the act 
constituting the crime, and if the latter is not criminally liable for any reason whatever.

Article (46)  
A person is considered an accomplice by causation of the crime if he:  
1. Instigates the commission of the crime, and i t has been committed as a result of such 
instigation.  
2. Agrees with another person to commit the crime, and it has been committed as a result 
of such agreement.  
3. Gives the perpetrator a weapon, tools or any other thing which the latter has knowingly 
used in c ommitting the crime; or he who has deliberately aided the perpetrator in any 
other way in the preparation, facilitation or completion of the crime.   
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 The accomplice shall in these cases be liable, whether he is in direct contact with the 
perpetrator or throu gh an intermediary.

Article (47)  
Any accomplice by causation who has been found at the scene of the crime with the 
intention of committing it shall be considered as a direct accomplice if another person does 
not commit it.

Article (48)  
Any person who p articipates in a crime, as a direct accomplice or as an accomplice by 
causation, shall be punished by its penalty, unless the law stipulates otherwise.

Article (49)  
Where one of the accomplices is not subject to the penalty due to any of the causes of 
justification or due to his lack of criminal intent or due to any other circumstances 
particularly attached to his person, the other accomplices shall not benefit therefrom.

Article (50)  
In the presence of material circumstances which are adherent to the c rime or constituent of 
one of its acts, that would aggravate or extenuates the penalty, the effects thereof shall apply 
to each person who has participated, directly or by causation, in committing the crime, 
whether he has known or not known of the existen ce of said circumstances.  
In the presence of personal aggravating circumstances which have facilitated the 
commission of the crime, they shall only apply to the other participants if they have had 
knowledge thereof. As to other circumstances, they shall on ly affect the person to whom 
they are attached, whether they are aggravating or extenuating circumstances.

Article (51)  
In the presence of personal excuses exempting from or extenuating the penalty in respect of  
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 one of the accomplices in the crime, wheth er direct or by causation, they shall only affect the 
person to whom they are attached.  
However, the material excuses exempting from or extenuating the penalty shall be fully 
effective towards each person who has participated in the commission of the crime  directly 
or by causation.

Article (52)  
The accomplice in the crime, directly or by causation, shall be punished by the penalty 
prescribed for the crime which has actually been committed, even if such crime is different 
from the one he has intended to co mmit, whenever the crime committed is a probable result 
of the complicity which has taken place.

Article (53)  
If the characterization of the crime or the penalty changes to the perpetrator's intention or 
his knowledge of its circumstances, the accomplice s, directly or by causation, shall be 
punished, each according to his intention or knowledge.  
  
Chapter Four  
Causes of Justification and Exceeding its Limits  
Part  One  
Causes of Justification  
1. Use of Right

Article (54)  
There shall be no crime, if the act takes place in good faith, in the use of a right established 
by virtue of Islamic Sharia or the law, or within the limits of such a right.  
The following are considered cases for the use of a right:  
1. Medical surgery and medical treatment in accordance with t raditional medicinal 
standards recognized in licensed medical professions, whenever they are done with the  
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 express or implied consent of the patient or his legal representative, or whenever 
medical intervention is essential in emergency cases requiring the  same.  
2. Acts of violence which occur during sports within the limits prescribed for such sports, 
subject, however, to the rules of due care and caution.  
3. Acts of violence committed against a person caught red -handed in a crime with the 
intention of arresting  him, subject, however, to the extent necessary for such a purpose.  
4. Acts of defamation by litigating parties, during oral or written pleadings and defence 
before investigation and judicial authorities, within the limits required for such defence, 
provided that such a party is bona fide, believing in the truth of the matters attributed to 
his adversary, and provided that his belief is based on reasonable grounds.  
  
2. Providing Assistance or Relief

Article (55)  
There shall be no crime in any act performed in  good faith but causing damage to another 
person upon providing assistance or relief thereto in cases which require urgent interference 
in order to save his life, avoid any damage to his body or limit such damage.  
  
3. Performance of Duty

Article (56)  
Ther e shall be no crime if the act is committed in the performance of a duty imposed by the 
law, if the person who commits such act is legally authorized thereto.

Article (57)  
There is no crime if the act is committed by a public servant or by a person who i s entrusted 
with a public service in one of the two following cases:  
1. If he commits the act in execution of an order given thereto by his superior who is legally 
authorized to give him such an order, and which he is bound to obey.  
2. If he commits, in good fai th, an act in execution of what is imposed by the law.  
   
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 4. Right of Legitimate Defence

Article (58)  
There is no crime if the act is committed in the use of the right of legitimate defence.  
Such legitimate right exists when the following conditions are ful filled:  
1. If the defender faces an immediate danger of a forcible crime to be committed against his 
person or property or against another person or such other person's property; or if the 
defender believes in the existence of such danger, provided that his b elief is based on 
reasonable grounds.  
2. If the defender cannot resort to the public authorities to repel the danger in due course.  
3. If the defender has no other means to repel such danger.  
4. If the defence is necessary in order to repel the attack and is propor tionate thereto.

Article (59)  
The right of legitimate defence does not justify premeditated murder, unless it is committed 
for the purpose of repelling one of the following cases:  
1. An act which is feared to cause death or serious injuries, provided that s uch fear is based 
on reasonable grounds.  
2. Forced sexual intercourse with a female or disgracing any other person.  
3. Kidnapping a human being.  
4. Felonies of arson, destruction or theft.  
5. Entering at night an inhabited house or any of its annexes.

Article (60)  
The right of legitimate defence does not justify the resistance to any of the members of the 
public authority, if this latter is performing an act in execution of the duties of his job and 
within its limits, unless it is feared that such act may cause death  or serious injuries and 
unless such fear is based on reasonable grounds.  
  
  
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 Part  Two  
Exceeding the Limits of Justification

Article (61)  
Exceeding the limits of justification in good faith is considered an extenuating excuse, and 
the judge may pardon the do er if he deems it appropriate.  
  
Section  Four  
Criminal Liability and its Impediments  
Chapter One  
Liability of Natural Persons  
Part  One  
Want of Perception or Will

Article (62)  
Anyone who, at the time of committing the crime, loses perception or will for cau ses of 
insanity, mental deficiency or unconsciousness due to drugs or narcotic or intoxicating 
substances of any kind, which have been given to him by force or which he has taken 
without being aware thereof, or for any other cause which, according to the s cience, causes 
the want of perception or will, shall not be criminally liable.  
However, if the insanity, mental deficiency, drugs, narcotic or intoxicating substances, or any 
other substances only cause a diminution or weakness of perception or will at the  time of 
committing the crime, this shall merely be considered as an extenuating excuse.

Article (63)  
If the want of perception or will is due to drugs, or narcotic or intoxicating substances taken 
voluntarily and knowingly by the perpetrator, he shall b e punished for the crime committed, 
as if it were committed free of narcotization, or intoxication, even if such crime requires a 
particular criminal intention.  
If the perpetrator has intentionally taken the drugs or intoxicating or narcotic substances for   
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 the purpose of committing the crime, this shall be deemed as an aggravating circumstance 
with regard to the penalty.  
  
Part  Two  
Want of Discernment and Minority

Article (64)  
No criminal action may be filed against any person who has not completed eleven y ears of 
age at the time of committing the crime. Want of discernment and minority shall be subject 
to the provisions stipulated in the legislation concerning delinquent juveniles, or who are 
prone to be delinquent.  
  
Part  Three  
Necessity and Constraint

Article (65)  
No criminal liability shall be held against anyone who is forced to commit a crime in order to 
protect his person or property or the person or property of others from a serious and 
imminent danger, of which occurrence is beyond his own will.  
No c riminal liability shall also be held against anyone who has been physically or morally 
constrained to commit a crime.  
In the two cases stipulated in the two preceding paragraphs, the perpetrator must not have 
the ability to prevent the danger by any other means, and the crime must be proportionate 
to the danger and to the extent necessary to repel it.  
  
Chapter Two  
Liability of Legal Persons

Article (66)  
Legal persons, with the exception of the government agencies and their official departments 
and public e ntities and corporations, shall be criminally liable for crimes committed by their  
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 representatives, directors or agents acting in favour of or on behalf of them.  
No penalty shall be imposed on them other than a fine, confiscation and the criminal 
measures stipulated by law; however, if the law prescribes for the crime a principal penalty 
other than a fine, the penalty shall be limited to the fine, not exceeding five million 
(5,000,000) AED, unless the law stipulates otherwise. This, however, shall not preve nt 
punishing the perpetrator personally with the penalties prescribed for the crime by law.  
  
Section  Five  
Penalties  
Chapter One  
Principal Penalties

Article (67)  
A. Principal penalties are as follows:  
1. Qisas and Diya penalties.  
2. Death penalty.  
3. Life imprisonment . 
4. Temporary imprisonment.  
5. Incarceration.  
6. Detention.  
7. Fine.  
B. If the conditions set forth in the Sharia for the application of the Qisas and Diya 
penalties, courts shall order the penalties stipulated in this Law or in the other penal 
codes, as the case may be .

Article (68)  
The death penalty issued by a Federal Court shall only be executed after being ratified by the 
President of the State.  
   
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  24

Article (69)  
Imprisonment is to detain the convict in one of the penal establishments or institutions 
legally designat ed for this purpose, for life in case of life imprisonment, or for the period 
specified by the judgment in case of temporary imprisonment.  
The period of temporary imprisonment may not be less than (3) three years or more than 
fifteen (15) years, unless the  law stipulates otherwise.

Article (70)  
Incarceration is to detain the convict in one of the penal establishments or institutions 
legally designated for this purpose, for the period specified by the judgment.  
The period of incarceration may not be less t han one month or more than (3) three years, 
unless the law stipulates otherwise.

Article (71)  
Whoever is sentenced to a penalty restricting his liberty, shall be bound to perform the 
labour assigned thereto in the penal establishments or institutions wit h due regard to his 
own circumstances and to the purpose of correcting and rehabilitating him, and in 
consideration of a convenient remuneration. Periodical reports shall be prepared in order to 
observe his conduct and behaviour, all in accordance with the  law governing penal 
establishments or institutions.

Article (72)  
The fine penalty: It is to obligate the convict to pay the treasury the adjudged amount. The 
fine may not be less than one thousand (1,000) AED and not be more than ten (10,000,000) 
millio n AED in felonies, and five (5,000,000) million AED in misdemeanours, unless the law 
stipulates otherwise.

Article (73)  
If several persons accused of one crime are sentenced by one single judgment to a fine,  
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 whether as principal perpetrators or accomplic es, the court shall impose the fine upon each 
of them severally, save the cases of proportional fines, where all of the accused shall be 
jointly liable to the payment of the fine, unless the law stipulates otherwise.  
  
Chapter Two  
Ancillary Penalties  
Part  One  
Accessory Penalties

Article (74)  
Accessory Penalties are as follows:  
1. Deprivation of some rights and privileges.  
2. Police Probation.  
3. Dismissal from public service.  
Such penalties shall be imposed on the convict by force of the law without the need to 
ment ion them in the judgment, and in accordance with what is provided for in this Part .

Article (75)  
Any death sentence shall entail by force of the law, since the day on which it is issued and 
until its execution, the deprivation of the convict of all the r ights and privileges stated in the 
following Article, and the nullification of all disposition and administration acts performed 
by him, with the exception of testaments.  
The competent court shall appoint a curator who shall administer the funds of the con vict, 
and follow in his appointment and determining his powers the provisions in force with 
respect to curatorship of interdicted persons. The Public Prosecution shall notify the 
competent entities of the procedures for appointing the curator and the limit s of his powers.

Article (76)  
Sentence to life or temporary imprisonment shall entail by force of the law, since the day on  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  26 
 which it is issued, the deprivation of the convict of all the following rights and privileges:  
1. The right to be an elector or a mem ber in the legislative or consultative councils.  
2. The right to be a member of the municipal councils, boards of directors of public entities 
or organizations and establishments, or associations or institutions of public benefit, or 
to be a member or manager  of a joint stock company.  
3. The right to be a guardian, curator or proxy.  
4. The right to wear national or foreign badges of honour.  
5. The right to carry arms.  
The period of deprivation may not exceed (3) three years as of the date on which the 
execution of the punishment is completed or forfeited.

Article (77)  
Whoever is sentenced to life or temporary imprisonment may not, during the period of 
imprisonment, dispose of his funds except after approval of the competent court in which 
jurisdiction the place of his  residence is located. Any disposition made by the convict in 
violation of the provisions of this Article shall be null and void.

Article (78)  
The convict shall, during the period of his imprisonment, select a curator to administer his 
funds, after appro val of the competent court in which jurisdiction the place of his residence 
is located. If within one month as of the day on which the execution of the penalty begins, 
no selection is affected, said court shall appoint a curator upon the request of the Pub lic 
Prosecution or any concerned party. The Public Prosecution shall notify the competent 
entities of the procedures for appointing the curator and the limits of his powers.  
The court may obligate the curator whom it appoints to offer a guaranty, and he sh all in all 
cases report to the court with respect to all matters regarding his curatorship. Upon expiry of 
the penalty period or upon release of the convict, his funds shall be reinstituted thereto and 
the curator shall submit to him a final statement of a ccount regarding his administration.  
   
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Article (79)  
If the person who is sentenced to life or temporary imprisonment is a public servant or a 
person who is entrusted with a public service, he shall be dismissed from such office as a 
result.

Article (80)  
Whoever is sentenced to temporary or life imprisonment for a crime affecting the external or 
internal security of the State, for crimes against the security of the State, for a crime of 
counterfeit, falsification or forgery of money or forgery of stamps, g overnmental securities 
or official instruments, or for a crime of bribery, embezzlement, or misappropriation or 
damage to public funds, theft or premediated murder or arson, shall, by the force of law, be 
placed under police probation after serving the sen tence according to the rules set down by 
the Minister of Interior, for a period equivalent to the term of the penalty, provided that it 
shall not exceed (5) five years.  
Nevertheless, the court may reduce the period of probation, exempt the convict therefro m, 
or reduce its restrictions.  
A convict who violates the conditions of probation shall be punished by imprisonment for a 
period not exceeding one year and/or a fine not exceeding fifty (50,000) thousand AED.  
  
Part  Two  
Complementary Penalties

Article (81)  
The court may, upon issuing an imprisonment judgment for a felony, decide that the convict 
be deprived of one right or privilege or more, among those stipulated in article (76) of this 
Law, for a period not less than one year and not exceeding (3) three y ears, and starting as of 
the day on which the execution of the penalty is completed or forfeited for any other reason.

Article (82)  
When sentencing a public servant to imprisonment with respect to any crime in which the  
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 perpetrator must be a public serva nt, the court may as well decide that he be dismissed from 
service for a period not less than one year and not exceeding (3) three years as of the date on 
which the execution of the penalty is completed or forfeited.

Article (83)  
1. Confiscation is to adjud icate to transfer the ownership of private funds to the State 
without consideration or compensation.  
2. In cases other than where the law requires a judgment of confiscation, the court may, 
upon issuing a judgment of conviction, adjudicate to confiscate seize d objects and funds 
that have been used or would have been used in the crime, or that have been the subject 
of the crime or gained therefrom, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third 
parties.  
3. If the aforesaid objects are among those of which manu facture, use, possession, sale or 
offer for sale is deemed a crime per se, the court shall adjudicate to confiscate the same 
in all cases, even if such objects are not owned by the accused. If any of these objects or 
funds, cannot be seized, or if the cour t is unable to adjudicate the seizure of the same for 
being related to bona fide third parties' rights, it shall impose a fine equivalent to their 
value at the time at which the crime has been committed.  
4. The fact that the perpetrator is unknown, his crimin al liability is negated, or the penal 
action is forfeited in a crime does not preclude the court from adjudicating, sua sponte or 
at the request of the Public Prosecution, as the case may be, to confiscate the seized 
objects if it is proven that they are r elated to the crime.  
5. The court may, where necessary, seek the assistance of an expert to assess the value of 
the objects or funds stipulated in Clause (2) of this Article.  
  
Chapter Three  
Stay of Execution of Penalty

Article (84)  
The court may, when issuin g a judgment on a crime of non -proportional fine or  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  29 
 incarceration for a period not exceeding one year, order the stay of execution if it deems in 
the ethics, past history or age of the convict, or the circumstances in which the crime has 
been committed, wh at leads to the belief that he will not commit a new crime.  
The Court may make the stay of execution inclusive of any subsidiary penalty except 
confiscation.  
In the misdemeanours stipulated in Articles (379), (380), (382), (390), (425), (426), (427), 
(447) , (453) and (454) of this Law, and in theft, fraud, breach of trust, and concealment of 
objects obtained therefrom, if the victim is a spouse, ascendant or descendant of the 
perpetrator, the Public Prosecution shall stay the execution of the freedom -restri cting 
penalty imposed whenever the victim waives or reconciles with the convict.

Article (85)  
Stay of execution of penalty shall be for a period of (3) three years as of the day on which the 
judgment has become final.

Article (86)  
Stay of the execution  may be cancelled in any of the following cases:  
1. If the convict has committed, during the period stipulated in the preceding Article, a 
premeditated crime in which he is sentenced to a freedom -restricting penalty for more 
than two months, whether convictio n is issued during that period or after expiry and 
provided that criminal action has been filed.  
2. If it becomes evident during the period stipulated in the preceding Article that the 
convict has been rendered, before the order of stay of execution, a judgme nt stipulated 
in the preceding paragraph and the court was unaware thereof when it ordered the stay 
of execution.  
The cancellation judgment shall be issued by the court that ordered the stay of execution 
upon the request of the Public Prosecution after ord ering the convict to attend.  
If the penalty based on which the cancellation judgment is issued has been adjudged after 
the order of stay of execution, the cancellation judgment may also be issued by the court  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  30 
 that adjudged such penalty, sua sponte or at th e request of the Public Prosecution, all 
without prejudice to stages of litigation.  
Issuing cancellation judgment shall entail the execution of the penalty of which execution 
had been stayed.

Article (87)  
If the period stated in article (86) above expire s without the occurrence of any cause of 
cancellation of the stay of execution, the judgment shall be considered as if it never existed.  
  
Chapter Four  
Plurality of Crimes and Penalties

Article (88)  
If a single act constitutes several crimes, the crime of which penalty is the severest shall be 
taken into consideration and such penalty shall be adjudged exclusively.

Article (89)  
If several crimes, which are inseparably connected with each other, are committed for the 
same purpose, they shall all be conside red a single crime, and the penalty prescribed for the 
severest crime shall be imposed.

Article (90)  
Imposing the penalty prescribed for the severest crime as stipulated in the two preceding 
Articles shall not prevent the imposing of the ancillary penalt ies prescribed by in respect 
with the other crimes.

Article (91)  
If the perpetrator in the case stipulated in article (89) of this Law, has been convicted for the 
crime with the mildest penalty, he shall be prosecuted thereafter for the crime with the  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  31 
 severest penalty. In such a case, the court shall order the execution of the penalty imposed 
by the last judgment after deducting therefrom what has been effectively executed 
according to the previous judgment.

Article (92)  
If a person commits several crim es before he has been sentenced for any of them, and if the 
conditions stipulated in Articles (88) and (89) are not applicable to these crimes, the penalty 
prescribed for each of them shall be imposed on him, and all penalties imposed shall be 
successively  executed against him, provided that the total periods of imprisonment only or 
the total periods of imprisonment and incarceration combined shall not exceed twenty (20) 
years, and provided that the periods of incarceration shall not exceed (10) ten years i n all 
cases.  
If the penalties are of different types, the penalty of imprisonment shall be executed, 
followed by the penalty of incarceration.

Article (93)  
The death penalty shall override all other penalties, except for the penalties of proportional 
fine and confiscation. The penalty of imprisonment shall, to the extent of its period, override 
the penalty of incarceration imposed for a crime committed before said penalty of 
imprisonment is imposed.

Article (94)  
The following penalties and measures shal l apply, regardless of their number:  
1. Penalty of fine.  
2. Ancillary penalties, provided the total periods of police probation do not exceed (5) five 
years.  
3. Criminal Measures.  
  
  
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 Section  Six 
Legal Excuses and Discretionary Extenuating and Aggravating 
Circumstanc es 
Chapter One  
Legal Excuses And Discretionary Extenuating Circumstances

Article (95)  
Excuses may either exempt from the penalty or extenuate it.  
No crime is excusable except in those cases specified in the Law.

Article (96)  
An exempting excuse shall pre vent the imposing of all penalties or measures except 
confiscation.

Article (97)  
Extenuating excuses include the young age of the perpetrator, committing of the crime for 
non -malicious motives or due to the fact that the victim has unjustly and dangerous ly 
provoked him.

Article (98)  
If there is an extenuating excuse for a crime punishable by death, it shall be reduced to life or 
temporary imprisonment or to incarceration for not less than one year; and if it is punishable 
by life imprisonment, it shall be reduced to temporary imprisonment or incarceration for not 
less than (6) six months; and if it is punishable by temporary imprisonment, it shall be 
reduced to incarceration for not less than (3) three months, unless the law stipulates 
otherwise.

Article (99)  
If the court finds in a felony that the circumstances of the crime or the perpetrator call for  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  33 
 clemency, it may extenuate the penalty prescribed for the felony as follows:  
1. If the penalty prescribed for the felony is death, it may be reduced to life  or temporary 
imprisonment.  
2. If the penalty prescribed for the felony is life imprisonment, it may be reduced to 
temporary imprisonment or incarceration for a period not less than (6) six months.  
3. If the penalty prescribed for the felony is temporary impriso nment, it may be reduced to 
incarceration for a period not less than (3) three months.

Article (100)  
If in the case of misdemeanour, there is an extenuating excuse, the extenuation shall be as 
follows:  
1. If there is a specific minimum for the penalty, the court shall not abide thereby in 
assessing the penalty.  
2. If the penalty is incarceration and a fine, the court shall impose only one of the two 
penalties.  
3. If the penalty is incarceration without any specific minimum period, the court may 
impose a fine inste ad.

Article (101)  
If the court finds in a misdemeanour that the circumstances of the crime or the perpetrator 
call for clemency, it may reduce the penalty prescribed as stated the preceding Article.

Article (102)  
If, in the case of a misdemeanour, ther e is an extenuating circumstance and an extenuating 
excuse at the same time, the court may grant the accused judicial pardon.  
  
 
 
  
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 Chapter Two  
Aggravating Circumstances

Article (103)  
Taking into account the cases in which the law stipulates specific reasons f or aggravation, 
the following shall be deemed as aggravating circumstances:  
1. Committing the crime for a vile motive.  
2. Committing the crime using the weak state of mind of the victim or his incapacity to 
resist, or being under circumstances which would not al low others to defend him.  
3. Committing the crime using savage means or by mutilation of the victim.  
4. Committing the crime by a public servant through exploiting the authority of his position 
or capacity, unless the law stipulates a specific penalty with respe ct of such capacity.

Article (104)  
If there is an aggravating circumstance in the crime, the court may impose the penalty as 
follows:  
1. If the penalty originally prescribed for the crime is a fine, its maximum limit may be 
doubled, or incarceration shall b e adjudged.  
2. If the penalty originally prescribed for the crime is incarceration, its maximum limit may 
be doubled.  
3. If the penalty originally prescribed for the crime is temporary imprisonment of which 
maximum limit is less than (15) fifteen years, the pena lty may reach such limit.  
4. If the penalty originally prescribed for the crime is temporary imprisonment that reached 
its maximum limit, it may be replaced by life imprisonment.

Article (105)  
If a crime, not punishable by a fine, is committed with the motive  of making profit, the 
perpetrator may be punished, in addition to the penalty originally prescribed for the crime, 
by imposing a fine not exceeding the amount of profit realized, unless the law stipulates 
otherwise.   
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Article (106)  
If there are both aggra vating circumstances and extenuating excuses or circumstances in 
one crime, the court shall apply first the aggravating circumstances, then the extenuating 
excuses and finally the extenuating circumstances.  
However, if the aggravating circumstances and the  excuses produce different effects, the 
court may let the stronger of both prevail.  
  
Chapter Three  
Recidivism

Article (107)  
Any of the following shall be deemed as recidivist:  
1. Any person adjudged by a final judgment in a felony and commits a crime thereaf ter. 
2. Any person adjudged by a final judgment of imprisonment for (6) six months or more 
and then commits a misdemeanour within (3) three years before the expiry date of such 
penalty.  
Recidivism is only consummated in crimes united in of premeditation and m istake.  
In such events, the court may not deem recidivism as aggravating circumstance.

Article (108)  
If the recidivist had previously been sentenced to two freedom -restricting penalties, both for 
at least one year, or to three freedom -restricting penalti es, among which one for at least one 
year, for having committed or attempted a crime of theft, fraud, breach of trust, forgery, or 
concealment of objects resulting from such crimes; and then he commits any of the 
aforementioned misdemeanours or an attempt thereof which is liable to punishable, after 
he had been sentenced to the last of these penalties; the court may sentence him to 
temporary imprisonment for a period not exceeding (5) five years, instead of applying the 
provisions of the preceding Article.  
 
   
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Article (109)  
The court may impose, in accordance with the provisions of the preceding Article, on 
whomever commits a misdemeanour from amongst those stated therein after he had been 
previously convicted for one of the crimes stated in Articles (355), (4 64), (466) and (468) of 
this Law, s two freedom -restricting penalties, both of them for at least one year, or three 
freedom -restricting penalties, one of which for at least one year.  
  
Section  Seven  
Criminal Measures  
Chapter One  
Types of Criminal Measures

Article (110)  
Criminal measures are either restrictive of freedom, depriving of rights, or material.  
  
Part  One  
Freedom -Restricting Measures

Article (111)  
Freedom -restricting measures are:  
1. Prohibiting visits to certain public places.  
2. Prohibiting residing in a certain place.  
3. Probation.  
4. Community service.  
5. Deportation from the State.

Article (112)  
The court may prohibit the convict for a period not less than one year and not exceeding (5) 
five years from visiting the public places it specifies, if the crime  has been committed under 
the influence of an intoxicating or narcotic substance, as well as in other cases stipulated by  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  37 
 the Law.

Article (113)  
The prohibition to reside in a specific place is to deprive the convict, after his release and for 
a period o f at least one year and at most (5) five years, of residing in said place or of visiting 
the places determined by the judgment.

Article (114)  
If a person is sentenced to death or life imprisonment and special pardon is issued forfeiting 
all or part of th e penalty or replacing it by a milder penalty, the Public Prosecution must refer 
the matter to the court who had issued the judgment in order to decide to forbid him from 
residing for a period of (5) five years in the place or places determined thereby, un less the 
pardon decision stipulates otherwise.  
Furthermore, the court may, when imposing the penalty of temporary imprisonment, rule to 
prohibit the convict from residing in one or several specific places for a period which is 
equivalent to that of the imp osed penalty, provided it does not exceed (5) five years. But if 
the judgment on the felony is issued for incarceration, the court may rule the prohibition of 
residence for a period not exceeding (2) two years.

Article (115)  
The court which has issued th e judgment may, upon the request of the Public Prosecution or 
the convict, reduce the period adjudged according to the preceding Articles, exempt the 
convict from the remaining period or change the places in which the measure is to be 
enforced.

Article (116)  
Probation means obligating a convict to comply with all or some of the following 
restrictions, according to what is the determined by the judgment:  
1. Not to change his place of residence, without the approval of the competent  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  38 
 administrative authority, a nd if he has no place of residence, said authority shall specify 
a place for him.  
2. To present himself before the competent administrative authority at such periodic terms 
as determined by said authority.  
3. Not to visit the places specified by the judgment.  
4. Not to leave his place of residence at night, except by permission of the competent 
administrative authority.  
In all cases, the rules that are prescribed by a resolution of the Minister of Interior in this 
concern shall be applied.

Article (117)  
If a perso n is sentenced to death or life imprisonment and special pardon is issued forfeiting 
all or part of the penalty or replacing it by a milder penalty, he shall by force of the law and 
for a period of (5) five years be subject to the probation restrictions st ipulated in Clauses (1, 
2 and 4) of the preceding Article, unless the pardon decision stipulates otherwise.

Article (118)  
If a person is sentenced to life or temporary imprisonment for a crime against the external or 
internal security of the State, he sh all be put under probation for a period not exceeding (5) 
five years. When imposing, in a felony, a penalty restricting freedom for a period exceeding 
one year, the court may adjudge probation for a period not exceeding (5) five years and not 
exceeding the  period of the penalty.

Article (119)  
The period of probation shall start as of the date specified by the judgment for its execution, 
and in case of impossibility to enforce it, the date specified for its expiry shall not be 
extended.  
  
  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  39

Article (120)  
The  Public Prosecution shall supervise the execution of probation by virtue of periodical 
reports to be submitted thereto every (3) three months at least, by the competent 
administrative authority with respect to the conduct of the convict. The court who has 
issued the judgment may, at the request of the convict or the Public Prosecution, amend the 
restrictions of such probation or exempt from the convict from all or part of them after 
hearing the opinion of the Public Prosecution.

Article (121)  
Community se rvice is to obligate the convict to perform community service work, as 
specified by a Cabinet resolution, in any of the institutions or establishments which are 
designated by a resolution issued by the Minister of Justice in coordination with the 
competent  entities, or by a decision issued by the head of the local judicial authority.  
Community service shall not be adjudged, except in penalties for misdemeanours and in lieu 
of the penalty of incarceration that does not exceed six months or the penalty of fin e, 
provided that the period of community service shall not exceed (3) three months.

Article (122)  
The community service shall be performed in the entity or entities that the Public Prosecutor 
or his deputy chooses as per the resolution referred to in Art icle (121) of this Law, in 
coordination with said entity or entities and under the supervision of the Public Prosecution.

Article (123)  
The entity in which the community service is performed shall submit a detailed report to the 
Public Prosecution on the  convict's performance, discipline and behaviour and the extent to 
which he is committed to perform the service assigned thereto.

Article (124)  
If the convict fails to meet the requirements of the performance of the community service,  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  40 
 the court may, at th e request of the Public Prosecution, apply the penalty of incarceration for 
a period identical to the community service period or order the completion of the remaining 
period. The Public Prosecution may postpone the performance of the community service if 
necessary, provided that the measures ensuring such performance shall be taken.

Article (125)  
The community service shall be subject to the provisions of the Federal Criminal Procedure 
Law.

Article (126)  
If a foreigner is sentenced to a freedom -restric ting penalty in a felony, he shall be deported 
from the State.  
If a foreigner is sentenced to a freedom -restricting penalty in a misdemeanour, the court 
may order to deport him from the State or order deportation instead of the 
freedom -restricting penalty,  unless the law stipulates otherwise.  
Notwithstanding the provision of the preceding paragraph and any other provision in any 
other law, a foreigner may not be sentenced to deportation if he, at the time of committing 
the crime, is a spouse or a first -degr ee relative of a citizen, unless the sentence is issued on a 
crime against the security of the State.  
  
Part  Two  
Measures Depriving of Rights and Material Measures

Article (127)  
Measures depriving rights and material measures are:  
1. Forfeiture of tutorship, guardianship, curatorship or proxy relating to the absentee.  
2. Prohibition to carry out a specific job.  
3. Withdrawal of driving license.  
4. Closure of premises.  
   
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  41

Article (128)  
Forfeiture of tutorship, guardianship, curatorship or proxy relating to an absentee, i s to 
deprive the convict of exercising such power, whether it concerns the person or the funds.  
Forfeiture shall be for the period determined by the court.  
And the court may restrict forfeiture to only some of the powers resulting from tutorship, 
guardians hip, curatorship or proxy relating to the absentee.

Article (129)  
If the tutor, guardian, curator or proxy of an absent is convicted for a crime which he has 
committed in violation of the duties of his authority, the court may order the forfeiture of his  
tutorship, guardianship, curatorship or proxy relating to the absentee.  
The forfeiture shall be mandatory if he commits a crime disqualifying him of being a tutor, 
guardian, curator or proxy of the absentee.

Article (130)  
Prohibition to carry out a job is the deprivation of the right to practise a profession, a craft or 
an industrial or commercial activity of which practice requires a licence from the public 
service authority.

Article (131)  
If a person breaches the duties of his profession, craft, indu strial or commercial activity and 
is sentenced for such violation to a penalty restricting his freedom for at least (6) six months, 
the court may prohibit him from practising his job for a period not exceeding (2) two years. 
However, if within the (5) five  years subsequent to the issuance of a final prohibition 
judgment, he commits the same crime again, the court must order the prohibition for a 
period not less than one year and not exceeding (5) five years.  
The prohibition period shall start as of the day on which the execution of penalty is 
completed or forfeited for any reason.  
Such a measure may suffice in lieu of the penalty originally prescribed for the crime.   
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  42

Article (132)  
Withdrawal of the driving licence shall result in suspending all effects of t he licence 
previously granted to the convict during the period fixed by the court which shall not be less 
than (3) three months or more than (2) two years.  
Such a measure may also be ordered when imposing a freedom -restricting penalty for a 
crime committed  through mechanical transport means, in violation of the obligations 
imposed by the law.

Article (133)  
With the exception of the special cases in which the law stipulates closure, the court may, 
upon prohibiting a person from practising his work accordin g to the provisions of Article 
(131) of this Law, order that the closure of the premises in which he practises said work for a 
period not less than one month and not exceeding one year.  
Closure shall entail the prohibition to carry out the same work or tra de or industry in the 
same premises, whether by the convict or through one of the members of his family or any 
other person to whom the convict had leased or assigned the premises after he committed 
the crime. But the prohibition shall not affect the owner  of the premises or any other person 
having an in -kind right thereto and having no connection with the crime.  
  
Chapter Two  
General Provisions

Article (134)  
The measures stipulated in this section  may not be applied to any person without proving 
that he h as committed an act which deemed as a crime by the law, and that his case 
necessitates the application of such measures to maintain the safety of the society.  
The perpetrator shall be deemed to constitute a danger to the society if it appears from his 
cond itions, past history, or behaviour, or from the circumstances and motives of the crime 
that there is a serious probability that he might commit another crime.  
   
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Article (135)  
Subject to the provisions of article (124) of this Law, any violation of the prov isions of the 
sentence of a criminal measure shall be punished by incarceration for a period not 
exceeding one year or by a fine not exceeding (5,000) five thousand AED.  
The court may, in lieu of imposing the penalty prescribed in the preceding paragraph, extend 
the period of the measure for a period not exceeding half of the sentenced period and shall 
not, in any case, exceed (3) three years, or replace it by any of the other measures stipulated 
in the preceding Chapter.

Article (136)  
Measures stipulated  in this section  may not be subject to stay of execution.

Article (137)  
Except for the measure of deportation, the court may, upon the request of the concerned 
party or the Public Prosecution, order the termination of a measure which it had previously 
ordered from amongst those stipulated in the preceding Articles, or the amendment of its 
scope or may cancel said order at any time upon the request of the Public Prosecution.  
If the request mentioned in the preceding paragraph is rejected, it may only be re newed after 
at least (3) three months as of the date of rejection.  
  
Section  Eight  
Social Defence  
Chapter One  
Cases of Social Defence  
Part  One  
Mental or Psychological Diseases

Article (138)  
If the act constituting a crime is committed by a person in a stat e of insanity or mental  
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 deficiency or psychological disease that made him completely incapable to control his 
actions, the court shall order to place him in a therapeutical shelter, according to the cases 
determined by a decision issued by the Minister of Justice after consultation with the 
Minister of Health and Prevention.  
The same measure shall be applied to the person who is afflicted by any of said states after 
issuing the judgment.  
  
Part  Two  
Habitual Delinquency

Article (139)  
When there is recidivism , according to either of Articles (108) or (109), the court may, in lieu 
of imposing the penalty prescribed therefor, decide to deem the recidivist as a habitual 
criminal, and order, in such a case, to place him in one of the Labour Establishments to be 
specified by a resolution issued by the Minister of Justice after coordination with the 
competent entities.  
If a recidivist commits a felony after he had been previously sentenced to one of the two 
penalties stipulated in Articles (108) and (109), the court may, in lieu of imposing the 
penalties prescribed therefor, decide to deem the recidivist as a habitual criminal, and order, 
in such a case, to place him in one of the Labour Establishments.  
  
Part  Three  
Social Danger

Article (140)  
A person shall constitut e a social danger if he suffers insanity, mental deficiency or 
psychological disease which makes him incapable to control his actions, in such a way that 
endangers his own safety or the safety of other, , in which case he shall be placed in a special 
thera peutical shelter by virtue of an order to be issued by the competent court upon the 
request of the Public Prosecution.  
   
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 Chapter Two  
Measures of Social Defence

Article (141)  
Measures of social defence are:  
1. Placement in a therapeutical shelter . 
2. Placement in  any of the Labour Establishments.  
3. Probation.  
4. Obligation to reside in home of origin.

Article (142)  
The person sentenced to placement in a therapeutical shelter shall be sent to a health 
institution designated for that purpose, where he shall receive the  due care required by his 
condition.  
Health institutions shall be determined by a resolution issued by the Minister of Health and 
Prevention by mutual agreement with the Minister of Justice.  
If judgment of placement in a therapeutical shelter is issued, th e medical reports regarding 
the condition of the convict must be periodically submitted to the competent court at least 
every (6) six months, and the court may, after consultation with the Public Prosecution, 
order the release of the convict if his conditi on so permits.

Article (143)  
In the case where the law requires the placement of the convict in any of the Labour 
Establishments, the court shall rule the same with no need to specify the period of 
placement in its judgment.  
The administrators of such la bour establishment are required to prepare periodical reports 
about the condition of the convict and submit them, within periods not exceeding (6) six 
months each, to the competent Court through the Public Prosecution. The court may, after 
consultation wit h the Public Prosecution, order the release of the convict if it finds that his 
condition has improved.   
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 The period of placement may not, with regard to habitual criminals, exceed (5) five years for 
misdemeanours and (10) ten years for felonies.

Article (144)  
The provisions of article (116) shall apply to the probation stipulated in this Part, provided 
that the probation period shall not exceed (3) three years.

Article (145)  
Obligation to reside in home of origin is to send the individual back to his hom e where he 
was residing before he moved to the place where it was proved that he constitutes social 
danger, for a period not less than (6) six months and not exceeding (3) three years.

Article (146)  
In the event violating the measures provisions stipulat ed in this Part, the court may order 
extension of the measure for a period not exceeding half of the period previously adjudged.

Article (147)  
Measures of social defence may not be subject to stay of execution.  
  
Section  Nine  
General Pardon, Remission Fr om Penalty and Judicial Pardon

Article (148)  
General pardon for a certain crime or certain crimes shall be issued by virtue of a law and it 
entails the forfeiture of the criminal action or the deletion of the conviction judgment issued 
thereon, and deeming  such crimes or crime as non -existent, and the forfeiture of all principal 
and ancillary penalties as well as the criminal measures, but it shall have no effect on any 
previously executed penalties and criminal measures.  
  
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Article (149)  
If a law is promulgat ed granting general pardon for part of the penalties imposed, it shall be 
considered a special pardon and the provisions stipulated for the latter shall apply thereto.

Article (150)  
The special pardon shall be granted by virtue of decree that includes th e forfeiture of all, or 
part of the penalty imposed by a Federal Judicial Authority, or the replacement thereof with 
a milder penalty prescribed by law.  
The special pardon shall not forfeit the ancillary punishments, other criminal consequences 
or criminal  measures unless the decree stipulates otherwise.  
The special pardon shall have no effect with regard to the previously executed penalties.

Article (151)  
Forfeiture of the penalty or criminal measure by special pardon shall be considered as if 
executed.

Article (152)  
In addition to the events stipulated by a special provision, the judge may pardon the 
perpetrator in misdemeanours, in any of the following events:  
1. If the perpetrator has not completed (21) twenty -one years of age at the time of 
committing the crime and has not been convicted in another crime.  
2. If the misdemeanour is a crime of libel or battery and the assault is reciprocated, or if the 
assault is minor and the victim waives his personal right.  
In the event of pardon, the judge may give such advice and guidance to the perpetrator as he 
deems fit, and shall warn him that he shall not benefit from a new pardon in the future.

Article (153)  
The pardon, whatever its type, shall be without prejudice to the rights of the litigants or third 
parties.   
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 Book Two  
Crimes and their Penalties  
Section  One  
Crimes Against the Security and Interests of the State  
Chapter One  
Crimes Against the External Security of the State

Article (154)  
Every citizen who, in any manner, joins the armed forces or security autho rities of a country 
that is hostile to the State or at war therewith, or joins an armed force of a group that is 
hostile to the State or aims to prejudice the security of the State, shall be punished by death.

Article (155)  
Any person who deliberately co mmits an act that leads to affecting the State's sovereignty, 
independence, unity or the integrity of its territories shall be punished by death or life 
imprisonment.

Article (156)  
Any person who carries arms against the State or attempts or instigates t o do the same shall 
be punished by death or life imprisonment.

Article (157)  
The following shall be punished by death:  
1. Anyone who interferes, for the interest of an enemy or a country or group that is hostile 
or aims to prejudice the security of the Stat e, in a plan to shake the loyalty of the armed 
forces, or to weaken their morale or resistance.  
2. Anyone who, at the time of war, instigates members of the armed forces, the police or 
security authorities to join the service of any country or group that is h ostile or aims to 
prejudice the security of the State, or facilitates such an action for them.   
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 3. Anyone who, deliberately and in any manner interferes in recruiting members of the 
armed forces, the police officers, the security authorities, or other men, or gathering 
funds, supplies, equipment, or arranging any such things for the benefit of a country 
which is at war with the State or for the benefit of a group that is hostile or aims to 
prejudice the security of the State.

Article (158)  
The death penalty s hall be imposed on anyone who facilitates to an enemy, a country or 
group that is hostile or aims to prejudice the security of the State, the entry to the State's 
territory, or gives them a part of its lands, cities, or ports, or a fortress, establishment,  site, 
store, factory, ship, airplane, or any means of transport, or arms, ammunitions, explosives, or 
military supplies or equipment, or any of the things prepared for defence or used in 
connection therewith.  
The penalty shall be life imprisonment if the persons stated in the preceding paragraph are 
given supplies, foods, or any of the things prepared for defence or used in connection 
therewith.

Article (159)  
The death penalty shall be imposed on anyone who deliberately helps an enemy, a country 
or group  that is hostile or aims to prejudice the security of the State by transmitting 
information thereto or acting as guide thereof.  
Life imprisonment shall be imposed on any person who offers a service to anyone of those 
stated in the preceding paragraph to ob tain a benefit, interest, or a promise thereof for 
himself or for a person appointed thereby for that purpose, whether directly or indirectly, 
and whether the benefit or interest is material or non -material.

Article (160)  
Life imprisonment shall be impos ed on anyone who knowingly helps or aids a prisoner of 
war, a detained enemy soldier, citizen or agent, or a member of a group that is hostile or  
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 aims to prejudice the security of the State, or provides shelter, food, clothes, means of 
transport or any oth er form of assistance to anyone of them or hides them after escaping 
from detention.  
The same penalty shall be imposed if the person who assists or aids resists the authorities 
that attempt to re -arrest anyone of the aforementioned persons. The penalty sha ll be death 
if such resistance results in the demise of someone.

Article (161)  
Life imprisonment shall be imposed on any public servant, entrusted with guarding a war 
prisoner or any of the enemy's detained citizens or agents, who deliberately facilitate s their 
escape from detention.  
The penalty shall be imprisonment for a period not less than (3) three years and not 
exceeding (5) five years if the act occurs as a result of negligence in guarding.

Article (162)  
The death penalty shall be imposed on anyo ne who seeks to collaborate with a foreign 
country or a group that is hostile or aims to prejudice the security of the State or anyone 
who works for their interest, or communicates with anyone of them to assist in their war 
operations or to jeopardize the war operations of the State.  
Life imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who seeks to collaborate with the persons 
stated in the preceding paragraph, or anyone who works for their benefit, or who 
communicates with any of them to carry out hostile activiti es against the State.

Article (163)  
Life imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who, during peace time, commits any of the 
following acts:  
1. Seeking to collaborate with a foreign country, or anyone who works for its benefit or 
communicating with anyone of  them, in order to prejudice the State's military, political 
or economic position.   
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 2. Deliberate destruction, concealing, embezzlement, or forgery of papers or documents, 
knowing that they are related to the security of the State or any other national interes t. 
3. Seeking to recruit or recruiting persons for the benefit of a foreign country or a group 
that is hostile or aims to prejudice the security of the State, or to any of the persons 
working for its benefit.  
The penalty shall be death if the crime occurs dur ing war time or for the purpose of causing 
damage to the State's military, political or economic position, or for the purpose of causing 
damage to its national interest, or if the crime is committed by a public servant or by a 
person entrusted with a publi c service

Article (164)  
Life imprisonment shall be imposed on any person who has been entrusted with negotiating 
with a foreign government or an international organization concerning any of the State's 
affairs, but deliberately conducts such negotiations  against the State's interests.

Article (165)  
Whoever requests, accepts, or takes for himself or for another person, even through an 
intermediary, from a foreign country or a group that aims to prejudice the security of the 
State or from anyone who works  for its benefit, a gift, grant or advantage of any kind, or has 
been promised any such things with the intention to commit a harmful act against a national 
interest, shall be punished by life imprisonment.  
The same penalty shall be imposed on anyone who g ives, promises or offers any of the 
aforementioned things with the intention to commit a harmful act against a national 
interest, even if what he gives, promises or offers is not accepted.  
The same penalty shall be imposed on anyone who mediates in committ ing any of the 
crimes listed in this Article.  
If the request, acceptance, promise, offer or mediation is in writing, the crime shall become 
fully perpetrated upon dispatching the letter or sending it by any other means.  
  
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Article (166)  
The death or life impr isonment penalty shall be imposed on anyone who delivers or 
discloses, in any manner or through any means, to a foreign country or a group that is hostile 
or aims to prejudice the security of the State or to any of the persons working for their 
benefit, a secret related to the State's defence, or if, by any means, he has obtained any such 
secrets for the purpose of delivering or disclosing them to a foreign country or a group that is 
hostile or aims to prejudice the security of the State or to any of the pe rsons working for 
their benefit, as well as anyone who destroys for their benefit a thing which is considered to 
be a secret of the State's defence, or if he makes it unfit for use.

Article (167)  
Life imprisonment shall be imposed on any public servant o r any person entrusted with a 
public service, who discloses any of the State's defence secrets entrusted thereto.  
The penalty shall be death if the crime occurs during war time.

Article (168)  
Life imprisonment shall be imposed on:  
1. Anyone who, through any  unlawful means, seeks to obtain one of the State's defence 
secrets and does not intend to deliver or disclose it to a foreign country or a group that is 
hostile or aims to prejudice the security of the State, or to any of the persons working for 
their ben efit.  
2. Anyone who, by any means, discloses one of the State's defence secrets.  
3. Anyone who plans or uses any means of communication, information technology or any 
other means with the intention to obtain, deliver or disclose any of the State's defence 
secret s. 
4. Anyone who possesses or keeps without a licence or permission any written papers, 
publications, recordings, data or information that contain any of the State's defence 
secrets, or keeps or possesses them for the purpose of obtaining a private benefit.  
The penalty shall be death if the crime occurs during war time.   
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Article (169)  
Life imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who deliberately destroys, impairs or 
disrupts down a weapon, ship, airplane, equipment, establishment, means of transport, 
public uti lity, ammunition, supplies, medicines, or other things which are prepared for the 
State's defence or used in connection therewith.  
The same penalty shall be imposed upon anyone who deliberately mis -manufactures or 
mis-repairs any of the things stated in th e preceding paragraph, as well as anyone who 
deliberately acts in a manner that makes them unfit for their intended use, even temporarily, 
or results in damage.  
The penalty shall be death if the crime occurs during war time.

Article (170)  
Whoever, person ally or through an intermediary, during war time, whether directly or 
through another country, exports goods or products or other items from the State to a 
hostile country, or imports any such materials from such a country, shall be punished by 
imprisonmen t for a period not less than (10) ten years and not exceeding (25) twenty -five 
years and by a fine not exceeding double the value of the things exported or imported, 
provided that it not be less than (1,000,000) one million AED.  
The things subject of the c rime shall be confiscated, and if not seized, the perpetrator shall 
be ordered to pay an additional fine equivalent to the value of such things.

Article (171)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not less than (10) ten years and not exceeding (25) 
twen ty-five years and a fine equivalent to double the value of the act subject of the crime 
and not less than (1,000,000) one million AED shall be imposed on anyone who, during war 
time, either by himself or through mediation, directly or indirectly engages in  any of the 
commercial activities which are not mentioned in article (170) of this Chapter with the 
citizens of a hostile country. The things subject of the crime shall be confiscated, and if not 
seized, the perpetrator shall be ordered to pay an additiona l fine equivalent to the value of  
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 such things.

Article (172)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not less than (10) ten years and not exceeding (25) 
twenty -five years shall be imposed on anyone who deliberately, during war time, fails to 
perform all o r some of the obligations imposed thereon by a contract for undertaking a job, 
transport, supply, obligations or public works or any other contracts which he has concluded 
with the government, for the requirements of the armed forces, or for protection of civilians, 
or for supplying them or if he commits an act of fraud in the performance thereof.  
If the crime is committed with the intention of jeopardizing the defence of the State or the 
operations of the armed forces, the penalty shall be death or life im prisonment.  
The provision of the preceding two paragraphs shall apply to subcontractors, agents and 
brokers if the failure to perform the obligation or the commission of fraud in performance 
thereof is due to their acts.  
In all cases, the perpetrator shall  be punished by a fine equivalent to the value of damages 
caused to the funds or interests of the State, provided that it is not less than double the value 
of the profit achieved from such default or fraud.

Article (173)  
If one of the acts stipulated in Articles (169) and (172) of this Chapter is caused by 
negligence or dereliction, the penalty shall be imprisonment for a period not less than (3) 
three years and not exceeding (5) five years and a fine not less than (100,000) one hundred 
thousand AED and n ot exceeding the value of damages caused to the funds or interests of 
the State as a result of such negligence or dereliction.

Article (174)  
A penalty of life imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who deliberately commits any 
act against a foreign coun try which harms political relations or exposes the State's civilians, 
employees, funds or interests to the danger of vengeance acts.   
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 If such an act leads to the occurrence of what is stated in this Article, the penalty shall be 
death.  
If the act stipulated  in the first paragraph of this Article occurred by writing, speech, drawing, 
declaration, or any information technology or media means, the penalty shall be 
imprisonment for a period not less than (5) five years and a fine not less than (100,000) one 
hund red thousand AED.

Article (175)  
The death penalty shall be imposed on whoever, during war time, deliberately announces 
false or tendentious news, statements or rumours, or deliberately circulates inflammatory 
propaganda causing damage to the military pre parations of the State's defence or to the 
military operations of the armed forces, or inciting panic among people, or weakening the 
morale of the State.

Article (176)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not less than (6) six months and not exceeding (5) 
five years and/or a fine not less than (100,000) one hundred thousand AED shall be 
imposed on:  
1. Anyone who flies over areas of the State's territories in violation of the prohibition issued 
by the competent authorities. Flying with an unmanned aircraft shall be deemed flying.  
2. Anyone who photographs or makes drawings or maps or coordinates of sites or places 
contrary to the prohibition issued by the competent authorities.  
3. Anyone who enters without permission from the competent authorities into a fortress,  a 
defence establishment, camp, an oil installation, a place where armed forces have 
camped or settled, a military or commercial vessel, aircraft, military vehicle, or military 
place, or a place or factory in which any activity is being carried out for the  benefit of the 
State's defence, if such a place is out of bounds to the public.  
4. Anyone who is found in any place in which residence or presence is prohibited by the 
military authorities.   
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 If the crime is committed during war time, or by using any means of deception, fraud, 
disguise or concealment of identity, nationality, profession or capacity, the penalty shall be 
temporary imprisonment for a period not exceeding (5) five years, and in cases where these 
two circumstances coexist, the penalty shall be temp orary imprisonment.  
Attempt to commit the misdemeanours stipulated in this Article shall be punished by 
incarceration or a fine.

Article (177)  
A penalty of life imprisonment shall be imposed on whoever publishes, announces, or 
delivers to a foreign count ry or any group seeking to prejudice the security of the State or to 
anyone working for their benefit, in any way or manner and by any means, news, 
information, items, correspondence, documents, maps, drawings, pictures, coordinates or 
other things related  to government departments or any of the authorities stated in article (5) 
of this Law, provided that publication or announcement of such things is prohibited by the 
competent authority.

Article (178)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on whoever collects, without 
authorization from the competent authority, information, data, objects, documents, designs, 
statistics, or others for the purpose of delivering them to a foreign country, group, 
organization, entity or other, whatever its name or form, or to anyone working for their 
benefit.

Article (179)  
The following shall be deemed secrets of the State's defence:  
1. Military, political, economic, industrial, scientific and security information related to 
social security or other information kn own only, due to their nature, to persons ex 
officio, and which the interest of the State requires that it remain secret to other than 
those persons.   
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 2. Correspondence, papers, documents, drawings, maps, designs, photos, coordinates and 
other matters of which  disclosure may lead to divulging information referred to in the 
preceding paragraph, and which the interest of the State requires that they remain secret 
to persons other than those who are assigned to preserve or use them.  
3. News and information related to  the Armed Forces, the Ministry of Interior and security 
agencies and their formations, movements, equipment, logistics, personnel and other 
things affecting military affairs and war and security plans, unless a written permission is 
issued by the competen t authority to publish or broadcast the same.  
4. News and information related to measures and procedures adopted to detect the crimes 
stipulated in this Chapter and arrest perpetrators, as well as the news and information 
related to the investigation and tria l proceedings if the broadcasting thereof is prohibited 
by the investigation authority or the competent court.

Article (180)  
If the perpetrator commits any of the crimes stipulated in Articles (162, 163/ Paragraph (1)/ 
Clause (1) and Paragraph (2), 165, 166, 175 and 177) of this Chapter with a foreign group or 
organization or any other entity irrespective of its name, or with someone who works for its 
benefit, he shall be punished by the penalty prescribed for such crime.  
  
Chapter Two  
Crimes Against the Internal Security of the State

Article (181)  
The death penalty shall be imposed on anyone who tries or attempts by force to overthrow 
or seize the government system.

Article (182)  
The death penalty shall be imposed on anyone who tries to commit acts of a ggression 
against the safety of the President or against his freedom, or deliberately endangers his life 
or freedom. The same penalty shall be imposed if such crime is executed or attempted.   
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Article (183)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not less t han (15) fifteen years and not exceeding 
(25) twenty -five years and a fine shall be imposed on anyone who mocks, insults, or 
damages the reputation or dignity or position of the President.

Article (184)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not exceedin g (5) five years and a fine not less than 
(500,000) five hundred thousand AED shall be imposed on whoever mocks at or insults or 
damages the reputation or dignity or position of the State, any of its authorities or 
establishments or founding leaders, its f lag or national emblem or anthem, or any of its 
national idols.

Article (185)  
The penalty of life imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who resorts to violence, threat 
or any other illicit means, in order to compel the President of the State to exercis e or refrain 
from exercising any of the powers vested therein him by law.

Article (186)  
The penalty of life imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who resorts to violence, threat 
or any other illicit means, in order to compel the prime minister, his dep uty, any of the 
ministers, the Chairman of the Federal National Council or any of its members or any of the 
members of the judicial authority to exercise or refrain from exercising any of the powers 
vested therein by law.

Article (187)  
The death penalty shall be imposed on anyone who tries or attempts to commit or commit 
an act of aggression against the safety or freedom of the president of a foreign country.  
Legal action in crimes stipulated in this Article shall only be filed by the Public Prosecutor.  
  
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Article (188)  
The death penalty or life imprisonment shall be imposed on whoever establishes, founds, 
organizes, administers, leads or joins any association, entity, organization, formation, group, 
gang or any branch thereof, whatever is the name or form th ereof, aiming at or calling for 
overthrowing or seizing the regime, disrupting the application of the provisions of the 
Constitution or the laws, contradicting the basic principles on which the regime is based, 
preventing any of the State institutions or p ublic authorities from conducting their business, 
violating the personal freedom of citizens or any other public rights and freedoms granted 
by the Constitution or the law, or harming the national unity or social peace.  
The same penalty shall be imposed on  whoever cooperates with any of the associations, 
corporations, organizations or formations stated in the first paragraph of this Article or 
participates therein in any manner or provides them with financial or material support 
knowing their purposes.

Article (189)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not less than (15) fifteen years and not exceeding 
(25) twenty -five years shall be imposed on whoever propagates verbally or in writing or in 
any other means, any of the acts stated in article (188) of thi s Chapter.  
The same penalty shall be imposed on whoever, personally or through an intermediary, 
possesses or acquires documents, printed materials, or records comprising propagation or 
advocacy of any of the things stipulated in the first paragraph, if the y are prepared for 
distribution or for access by third parties, and whoever possesses or acquires any method of 
printing, recording or publicizing which is used or prepared for use, even temporarily, for 
printing, recording or broadcasting any of the foreg oing.

Article (190)  
The death penalty or life imprisonment shall be imposed on whoever establishes, founds, 
organizes, administers or joins any association, entity, organization, formation, group or 
gang or any branch thereof, whatever is the name or for m thereof, aiming or seeking or  
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 working to prejudice the safety or interests of the State.  
The same penalty shall be imposed on whoever cooperates, in any manner, with any of the 
associations, corporations, organizations or formations stated in the first p aragraph of this 
Article or provides them with financial or material support knowing their purposes.

Article (191)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not less than (5) five years shall be imposed on 
whoever collects, obtains or receives funds, direct ly or indirectly, from inside or outside the 
State, in order to achieve any of the purposes stipulated in Articles (188), (189) and (190) of 
this Law.

Article (192)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not less than (5) five years shall be imposed on 
whoever engages in an activity for the purpose of teaching or providing guidance or training 
to implement the objectives stipulated in Articles (188), (189), (190) of this Law, whether 
directly or through an information technology means.

Article (193)  
A p enalty of temporary imprisonment and a fine not less than (200,000) two hundred 
thousand AED, shall be imposed on whoever establishes, founds, organizes or manages a 
worship or religious teaching venue in the State without a licence from the competent 
auth orities.  
If any of the acts mentioned in the first paragraph harms the national unity or the social 
peace or the public interest, this shall be deemed to be an aggravating circumstance.

Article (194)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment and a fine not les s than (200,000) two hundred 
thousand AED shall be imposed on whoever establishes, founds, organizes or runs, without 
licence, an association entity or organization or a branch thereof, of any kind, in the State, for  
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 illicit purposes.  
A penalty of temporar y imprisonment for a period not less than (5) five years and a fine not 
less than (300,000) three hundred thousand AED shall be imposed if the licence is issued 
based on false data.  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment and a fine not less than (200,000) two  hundred 
thousand AED shall be imposed on whoever joins an association, entity or organization or a 
branch thereof from among what is stated in the first paragraph of this Article knowing the 
illicit purpose thereof or the fact that it is not licensed.  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not exceeding (10) ten years shall be imposed on 
whoever cooperates with an association entity or organization or branch thereof from 
among what is stated in the first paragraph of this Article knowing the illicit purpos e thereof 
or the fact that it is not licensed.

Article (195)  
In cases stated in Articles (188), (189), (190) and (193) of this Law, the court shall order the 
dissolution of the associations, entities, organizations or branches or venues mentioned 
therein , and the closure of their premises.  
In all cases, the court shall order the confiscation of cash, effects, papers, tools and other 
things which have been used in committing the crime, or which are found in the places 
designated for the meetings of said as sociations, entities or organizations, or their branches 
or venues.  
It shall also order the confiscation of all funds which apparently form part of the convicts' 
property if there is sufficient evidence or presumptions proving that such funds are, in fact,  a 
source designated for spending on said associations, entities, organizations or branches or 
venues.

Article (196)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not less than (10) ten years and a fine not exceeding 
(500,000) five hundred thousand AED shall be  imposed on anyone who exploits religion to  
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 propagate verbally, by writing or any other means such ideas that may incite commotion or 
harm the national unity or social peace.

Article (197)  
A penalty of life imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who, fo r criminal purposes, 
unlawfully and without any assignment from the Government, assumes the command of a 
unit or division of the army or police, part of a fleet, a military ship or aircraft, a military or 
police post, or a harbour or a city.  
The same penal ty shall be imposed on whoever, in spite of being ordered by the 
Government, remains in any military or security command whatever, an on any head of any 
military or security force who maintains such a force in spite of being ordered by the 
Government to di scharge it.

Article (198)  
A penalty of life imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone having the right to command 
members of the armed forces or the ministry of interior or security bodies, who requests or 
instructs them to disobey the orders of the govern ment, if it is for a criminal purpose.  
If the crime results in obstructing the execution of the Government's orders, the penalty shall 
be death. Subordinate warrant officers or troop commanders, who have obeyed him 
knowing his criminal intention, shall be punished by temporary imprisonment for a period 
not less than (15) fifteen years and not exceeding (25) twenty -five years.

Article (199)  
A penalty of life or temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on whoever instigates 
members of the armed forces or pol icemen or security bodies to disobey orders or to 
abandon the performance of their military, security or police duties.

Article (200)  
The death penalty or life imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who forms a gang that  
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 attacks a group of residents, or  resists with arms the public authority officers, in order to 
hinder the enforcement of the laws; and on anyone who becomes leader of such a gang or 
occupies any leading position therein.  
As for any person who joins such gang but has neither participated i n its formation nor in its 
leadership, he shall be punished with life or temporary imprisonment.

Article (201)  
The death penalty or life imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who appoints himself 
leader of an armed gang, occupies a leading position the rein, manages its operations or 
organizes it for the purpose of usurping or plundering lands or funds owned by the State or 
by a group of people, or for the purpose of resisting the military force ordered to pursue the 
perpetrators of such crimes. Other me mbers of such a gang shall be punished by life or 
temporary imprisonment.

Article (202)  
A penalty of life or temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who brings or 
gives to the gang mentioned in the preceding Article, weapons, ammunition or equi pment as 
an aid for achieving its objective with full knowledge thereof; provides supplies or raise 
funds thereto, or takes part in criminal communications, in any manner whatsoever, with 
the leaders or managers of said gang, and also anyone who provides l odging, shelter or 
meeting places for them, while he is fully aware of their purpose and identity.

Article (203)  
A penalty of life or temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who tries to 
occupy by force any of the buildings which are public or designated for governmental 
departments or any of the authorities stated in article (5) of this Law.  
If the crime is committed by an armed gang, the person who has formed the gang, assumed 
its leadership or occupied any leading position therein shall be pu nished by death or life 
imprisonment.   
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Article (204)  
Incarceration shall be imposed on anyone who deliberately damages public buildings or 
properties, or properties designated for governmental departments, or any of the authorities 
stated in article (5) of this Law.  
The penalty shall be imprisonment for a period not exceeding (5) five years if the crime leads 
to disruption of a public utility or public benefit services, or if it endangers the life, health or 
safety of the people.  
The penalty shall be life im prisonment if the crime occurs at a time of turmoil or commotion, 
or for the purpose of provoking panic or chaos among people.  
In all cases, the perpetrator shall pay the value of the thing damaged thereby.

Article (205)  
A penalty of life or temporary im prisonment shall be imposed on anyone who, without 
authorization, manufactures or imports explosives; and a penalty of temporary 
imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who, without authorization, possesses or 
acquires explosives.  
Explosives include any su bstance included in their composition and which shall be 
determined by a resolution of the competent minister, as well as any equipment, machines 
or tools used in their manufacturing or explosion.

Article (206)  
The death penalty shall be imposed on anyon e who uses explosives in committing any of 
the crimes stipulated in Articles (203) and (204) of this Law.

Article (207)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who deliberately uses or 
attempts to use explosives in a manner that wo uld endanger people's life.  
 
   
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Article (208)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period of not less than (5) five years shall be imposed on 
whoever deliberately uses or imports weapons, ammunitions, explosives or military 
equipment, or attempts to do so in mann er that endangers the funds of other people.  
If the explosive causes grave damage to such funds, this shall be deemed to be an 
aggravating circumstance.

Article (209)  
A penalty of incarceration and a fine not less than (100,000) one hundred thousand AED 
and not exceeding (500,000) five hundred thousand AED shall be imposed on whoever 
instigates others to not comply with the laws or commended a matter which is considered a 
crime.

Article (210)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not less than one year  and a fine not less than 
(100,000) one hundred thousand AED shall be imposed on any individual who participates 
in a gathering of at least five people in a public place with the intention of rioting, preventing 
or disrupting the implementation of laws and  regulations, or in manner that would prejudice 
the public security, if he remains in the gathering after being ordered by one of the 
authority's officers men to disperse and leave.  
The penalty shall be imprisonment for a period not less than (3) three yea rs and a fine not 
exceeding (200,000) two hundred thousand AED, if he wears masks or covers to hide his 
face with the intention of committing a crime during the gathering.  
The penalty shall be imprisonment for a period not less than (5) five years if such gathering 
results in rioting, disturbing public peace or security, impeding production, disrupting the 
interests of individuals, harming them, exposing them to danger, preventing them from 
exercising their rights, obstructing traffic, assaulting lives, or public or private property or 
endangering them.  
The penalty shall be imprisonment for a period not less than (10) ten years if one or more  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  66 
 persons within the gathering carry visible or concealed weapons, even if they are authorized 
to carry such weapons.

Article (211)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not less than (10) ten years shall be imposed on 
anyone who offers, gives or obtains cash or any benefit to organize a gathering with the 
intention of committing any of the acts stipulated in the preced ing Article, or mediates in the 
same.

Article (212)  
A penalty of life imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who calls for, propagates in any 
other means, leads, a gathering in a public place or involves in managing its movement, with 
the intention of c ommitting riots, preventing or disrupting the implementation of laws and 
regulations, or disturbing public security, even if his call is not accepted. The same penalty 
shall be imposed on anyone who instigates to do the same.

Article (213)  
In the cases s tipulated in Articles (210) and (211) of this Law, the court shall order to 
confiscate the weapons, funds and items used in the crime. If it is not possible to seize any of 
them, the court shall impose a fine equivalent to their value, without prejudice to  the rights 
of bona fide third parties.

Article (214)  
The provisions stipulated in Articles (210), (211), (212) and (213) of this Law shall apply to 
every march or parade which has been organized for the same purpose or has achieved the 
same result.

Article (215)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on whoever uses any means of  
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 communication or information technology or any other means to publish information or 
news or incites acts that may endanger the security of the State or harm the public order.

Article (216)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment and a fine not less than (200,000) two hundred 
thousand AED and not exceeding (500,000) five hundred thousand AED shall be imposed 
on anyone who instigates the hatred or contempt of a sect o f people if such instigation leads 
to disturbance of public security.

Article (217)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not less than one year and a fine not less than 
(100,000) one hundred thousand AED shall be imposed on anyone who broadcasts or 
pub lishes false or tendentious news, statements or rumours, or circulates inflammatory 
propaganda that would:  
1. Disturb the public security or cause panic among people.  
2. Inflict harm to the public interest.  
3. Incite or antagonize the public opinion.  
The penalty sh all be imprisonment for a period not less than (2) two years and a fine not 
exceeding (200,000) two hundred thousand AED, if any of the acts mentioned in the first 
paragraph result in inciting or antagonizing the public opinion against one of the state 
authorities or institutions.  
The same penalty stipulated in the first paragraph of this Article shall be imposed on 
whoever personally or through an intermediary, possesses or acquires documents, printed 
materials, or records, whatever is their kind, comprisi ng any of the things listed in the first 
paragraph, if they are prepared for distribution or for access by third parties, and whoever 
possesses or acquires any method of printing, recording or publicizing used or prepared for 
use, even temporarily, for pri nting, recording or broadcasting any of the foregoing.  
The penalty shall be temporary imprisonment if the perpetrator is a member of the Armed 
Forces, Ministry of Interior or security bodies, or if the acts mentioned in the preceding two  
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 paragraphs take pl ace in worship venues or places pertaining to the Armed Forces, Ministry 
of Interior or security bodies.

Article (218)  
The Court may rule the death penalty for any felony stipulated in this Chapter, if it is 
committed during war time, for the purpose of assisting the enemy or harming the military 
operations of the Armed Forces, and if it has effectively fulfilled the intended objective.

Article (219)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not less than one year and a fine shall be imposed on 
whoever giv es a fatwah that prejudices the public order or endangers a person's life or 
security, safety or freedom.  
The penalty shall be temporary imprisonment if the fatwah results in any kind of harm.

Article (220)  
A penalty of life or temporary imprisonment sha ll be imposed on any citizen who 
participates, without permission from the competent entities, in an international or local 
armed conflict.  
Temporary imprisonment shall be inflicted on whoever instigates, calls for, propagates or 
facilitates, without permi ssion from the competent entities, the participation in an 
international or local armed conflict.

Article (221)  
A penalty of incarceration and a fine shall be imposed on any citizen who violates the 
prohibition issued by the competent entities in the Sta te concerning entering or staying in 
another country.

Article (222)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on whoever announces by any  
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 means of publicity his hostility towards the State or the regime or his disloyalty to the 
leaders thereof .

Article (223)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment and a fine of not less than (500,000) five hundred 
thousand AED and not exceeding (2,000,000) two million AED shall be imposed on 
whoever violates the instructions issued by the concerned authorities in  the State regarding 
the implementation of United Nations' Security Council resolutions regarding the 
imposition of international penalties on countries.  
  
Chapter Three  
Provisions Pertaining to Crimes Against External and Internal Security of the 
State

Article (224)  
The provisions of this Chapter shall apply to the crimes stipulated in Chapters One and Two 
of Section  One of Book Two of this Law, and the crimes against the State's internal or 
external security stipulated in other laws.

Article (225)  
The p rovisions of Articles (97), (98) and (99) of this Law may not be applied upon issuing a 
judgment of conviction in one of the crimes against the State's internal or external security, 
with the exception of the felonies punishable by death or life imprisonme nt, where the 
death penalty may be reduced to life imprisonment and the life imprisonment may be 
reduced to temporary imprisonment for a period not less than (10) ten years.

Article (226)  
Every judgment of conviction in a crime against the State's intern al or external security shall 
necessitate the deportation of the foreigner convict after the completion of the adjudged  
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 penalty.

Article (227)  
1. The criminal action with respect to crimes against the State's internal or external security 
shall not expire u pon the lapse of the term.  
2. The penalty adjudged in crimes against the State's internal or external security shall not 
forfeit unless by the complete execution or general pardon or special pardon.  
3. The freedom -restricting penalties adjudged in a crime agains t the State's internal or 
external security shall not be subject to the early release stipulated in the applicable 
Penal Establishments and Institutions Law or any other legislation.

Article (228)  
Notwithstanding the provisions of article (225), the cour t shall adjudicate, at the request of 
the Public Prosecutor or sua sponte, to extenuate the penalty or replace it with a fine not less 
than (100,000) one hundred thousand AED and not exceeding (10,000,000) ten million 
AED, or to exempt therefrom, for the p erpetrator who provides information to judicial or 
administrative authorities on any crime against the State's external or internal security, or on 
crimes considered by other penal codes to be against the security of the State, whenever this 
leads to disco vering such crimes or their perpetrators, or to convicting them there or to 
arresting one of them.  
The Public Prosecutor may solely and exclusively request that the court hearing the case to 
apply the preceding paragraph to cases other than those stipulate d therein if the request is 
related to State's sovereign interest or any other national interest. If a judgment is issued on 
the action, the Public Prosecutor may submit the request to the court that issued judgment, 
before or during the execution thereof.

Article (229)  
If a person commits a number of crimes against the State's internal or external security 
before convicting him in one of them, and none of such crimes meets the conditions  
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 stipulated in Articles (88) and (89) of this Law, the penalty presc ribed for each of these 
crimes shall be imposed and all the penalties shall be executed consecutively provided that 
the total period of the temporary imprisonment alone, or the total period of the temporary 
imprisonment and the incarceration collectively d oes not exceed (40) forty years and that 
the periods of incarceration do not exceed, in all cases, (20) twenty years.  
In the event of different penalties, the temporary imprisonment shall be executed first, 
followed by the incarceration penalty.

Article (230)  
Life imprisonment penalty adjudged in one of the crimes against the State's external or 
internal security shall override the temporary imprisonment and incarceration penalties.

Article (231)  
Any of the following shall be punished as an accomplice b y causation in crimes against the 
State's external or internal security:  
1. Anyone who knows the intentions of the perpetrator and provides him with assistance, 
means of subsistence, a place of residence, a shelter, a place for meeting or any other 
facilities , and anyone who carries the perpetrator's messages or facilitates the search for 
the subject of the crime or concealing, transporting or communicating it.  
2. Anyone who knowingly conceals the things which are used or prepared to be used in 
committing the cri me or which results from the crime.  
3. Anyone who destroys, embezzles, conceals or deliberately change a document that can 
facilitate the discovery of the crime or the evidence thereof or the punishment of its 
perpetrator.  
The court may, in the previous cases , exempt the perpetrator's relatives and in -laws up to 
the fourth degree, if they are not punishable by another provision of the law.

Article (232)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment for a period not less (10) ten years shall be imposed  
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 on whoever parti cipates in a criminal agreement, whether for the purpose of committing 
one of the crimes against the State's external or internal security or uses them as a means for 
achieving the intended objective of the criminal agreement.  
A penalty of life imprisonmen t shall be imposed on whoever runs such an agreement.  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on whoever invites another person 
to join such an agreement and his invitation is rejected.  
Nonetheless, if the purpose of the agreement is to commit  a certain crime or use it as means 
to achieve the intended objective, and the penalty for attempting such crime is milder than 
what is stipulated in the preceding paragraphs, no penalty severer than the one prescribed 
for such an attempt shall be imposed.  
Exemption from the penalties stipulated in the first three paragraphs shall be granted to any 
perpetrator who takes the initiative to inform the competent authorities of the existence of 
such an agreement, and any participants therein before any of the st ipulated crimes is 
committed.

Article (233)  
Whoever instigates the commission of one of the crimes against the State's external or 
internal security shall be punished by the penalty prescribed for the attempt to commit the 
crime of which the commission h e instigates, if such instigation has not produced any effect.

Article (234)  
Whoever becomes aware of committing one of the crimes against the State's external or 
internal security and does not inform the competent authorities, shall be punished by the 
penalty for the attempt to commit such crime.  
Exemption from the penalty may be granted if the person who refrains from informing is the 
spouse of the perpetrator or one of his relatives or in -laws up to the fourth degree.

Article (235)  
In addition to the  measures stipulated in this Law, the court may, at the request of the Public  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  73 
 Prosecution, order that the convict of one of the felonies stipulated in this Chapter, whose 
condition necessitates the application of such measure for the protection of the publ ic 
safety, and for the period specified by the court, shall be subject to one or more of the 
following measures:  
1. Travel ban.  
2. Restricting residence at a certain place;  
3. Prohibiting visits to certain locations or places.  
4. Prohibiting contact with a specific pe rson or persons.  
5. Prohibiting the use of certain means of communication or prohibiting the possession or 
acquisition thereof.  
6. Placing the convict under supervision or probation.  
7. Placing the convict in one of the rehabilitation centres.  
8. Subjecting to counsel ling programs for those convicted of felonies against the internal 
security of the State.  
The Public Prosecution shall supervise the implementation of the measures and submit 
reports to the court which ordered the same about the conduct of the person subje ct to the 
measure at periodic intervals, none of which exceeds (3) three months.  
The court may order to terminate, amend or reduce the duration of a measure, at the request 
of the Public Prosecution or the person subject to the measure; but if such request  is 
rejected, no new request may be submitted unless after (3) three months as of the date of 
rejection.  
The person subject to the measure shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not 
exceeding one year if he violates the measure ordered by the court .

Article (236)  
The Public Prosecutor may accept conciliation in the crimes stipulated in Articles (174/ 
second paragraph), (176/ first and third paragraphs), (184), (209), (210/ first paragraph), 
(217/ first, second and third paragraphs), and (221) of t his Law, in return for paying an 
amount not less than (50,000) fifty thousand AED and not exceeding (500,000) five  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  74 
 hundred thousand AED by the accused, before referring the criminal case to the competent 
court.  
Conciliation shall result in the abatement of  criminal action; and such conciliation shall have 
no effect on the rights of those affected by the crime.  
  
Chapter Four  
Crimes Against the National Economy

Article (237)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who destroys, through  
any means, a factory or any of its subsidiary buildings, facilities, or any warehouse for raw 
materials, products, consumer commodities, or any other immovables or movables destined 
for the execution of the development plan.

Article (238)  
A period of im prisonment for a period not less than one year shall be imposed on anyone 
who, through any means of publicity, instigates withdrawing money deposited with public 
banks or funds, or selling or abstaining from purchasing the State securities and other public  
stocks.  
  
Chapter Five  
Counterfeiting Money and Government Securities

Article (239)  
A penalty of life or temporary imprisonment and a fine not less than (200,000) two hundred 
thousand AED shall be imposed on anyone who counterfeits, falsifies or forges, i n any 
manner whatsoever, whether personally or through intermediary, a currency note or coin 
legally circulated in the State or in another country or a governmental security.  
A coin shall be considered counterfeit if any of its metal has been decreased, or  if it is coated 
with paint making it similar to another more valuable coin.   
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  75

Article (240)  
The penalty mentioned in the preceding Article shall be imposed on whoever brings in or 
takes out of the State, personally or through intermediary, a currency or s ecurity from 
amongst those mentioned in the preceding Article, whenever they are counterfeit or forged; 
and on whoever puts anything of the like into circulation or deals with it or possesses if for 
the purpose of putting it into circulation or dealing the rewith, while he is fully aware of the 
counterfeiting, falsification or forgery.

Article (241)  
If the crimes stipulated in the two preceding Articles lead to the devaluation of the national 
currency or the government securities, or to shaking the financi al trust in the internal or 
external markets, the penalty shall be life imprisonment.

Article (242)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding one year and a fine not exceeding 
(50,000) fifty thousand AED shall be imposed on whoever knowingly circulates, brings back 
into circulation, or brings into the country, a currency coin or note which is no longer in 
circulation.

Article (243)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year and a fine not exceeding 
(50,000) fifty thousand AED shall be imposed on whoever, in good faith, accepts a 
counterfeit or forged currency coin or note or governmental security, then deals therewith 
after knowing of such counterfeit, forgery or falsification.  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not exc eeding one year or a fine not exceeding 
(5,000) five thousand AED shall be imposed on whoever refuses to accept a valid national 
currency at its lawfully denominated value.  
  
  
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Article (244)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on whoever man ufactures 
machines, tools or other things designed for counterfeiting, forging or falsifying any of the 
things stated in article (239) of this Law or obtains such things with the intention to use 
them for such a purpose.  
A penalty of incarceration shall be  imposed on whoever possesses such machines, tools or 
things knowing of their purpose.

Article (245)  
Exemption from the penalty shall be granted to any perpetrators who takes the initiative to 
inform the judicial or administrative authorities before the counterfeit, falsified or forged 
money or security is used and before the crime is revealed. However, if such informing 
happens after the crime is discovered, the court may exempt him from the penalty if it has 
contributed to the arrest of the remaining pe rpetrators.  
  
Chapter Six 
Forgery  
Part  One  
Forgery and Counterfeiting of Seals, Marks and Stamps

Article (246)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment for a period not less than (5) five years shall be 
imposed on anyone who counterfeits or forges, personally o r through intermediary, the seal 
of the State, the seal or signature of the President of the State, Rulers of the Emirates, the 
Crown Princes or their deputies, or seals, postage stamps or financial stamps, or emblems of 
the government, its directorates, d epartments, or any of the authorities stated in article (5) 
of this Law, or the seal, signature or mark of any of their employees, or the governmental 
hallmark on gold, silver or other precious or valuable metals.  
The same penalty shall be imposed on anyon e who uses or brings into the State any of the  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  77 
 above things, knowing of its counterfeit or forgery.

Article (247)  
If the seals, postal or financial stamps or marks in respect of which the crimes as stipulated 
forth in the preceding Article are related to  a legal person other than those stated therein, the 
penalty shall be incarceration.

Article (248)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who unlawfully uses the 
seal of the State, the seal of the President of the State, or any of  the Rulers of the Emirates, 
their Crown Princes and deputies, or any of the seals, postage stamps or financial stamps, or 
marks of the government, its directorates, departments, or any of the authorities stated in 
article (5) of this Law, or the seal of a ny of their employees, causing harm to a public or 
private interest.

Article (249)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding one year or a fine shall be imposed on 
whoever counterfeits, imitates, forges, or falsifies metal plates or other mar ks issued by 
governmental departments in execution of laws, regulations or systems.  
The same penalty shall be imposed on anyone who uses any of such things, knowing of its 
counterfeit or forgery, and on anyone who uses any such genuine plate or mark but wi thout 
being entitled to.

Article (250)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding (6) six months or a fine not exceeding 
(10,000) ten thousand AED shall be imposed on whoever makes, distributes or offers for 
sale printed materials or forms, ir respective of the method of making them, resembling in 
appearance the government marks, postal or financial stamps, those concerning wire or 
wireless communications or those issued in a member country of the International Post  
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 Union - the aforementioned ma rks and stamps include international postal receipts.  
  
Part  Two  
Forgery of Documents

Article (251)  
Forgery of a document is a change of its genuineness by any of the means stated hereinafter, 
resulting in harm, for the purpose of using it as a valid instr ument.  
The following are considered means of forgery:  
1. Making a change in an existing document by way of addition, deletion or alteration, 
whether in the writing, numbers, marks, or in photographs appearing therein.  
2. Putting a forged signature or seal, or al tering a genuine signature, seal, or thumb -print.  
3. Obtaining, by means of surprise or fraud, a signature, seal or thumb -print of a person 
without his knowledge the contents of the document or without validly giving consent 
thereto.  
4. Fabricating or counterfei ting a document and attributing it to a third party.  
5. Filling a paper signed, sealed or thumb -printed paper in blank without the consent of the 
person who signed, sealed or thumb -printed it.  
6. Impersonating or substituting the identity of a person in a docume nt made to verify such 
identity.  
7. Altering the truth in a document made for verifying such truth.

Article (252)  
Forgery of an official document shall be punished with imprisonment for a period not 
exceeding (10) ten years, and forgery of a non -official do cument shall be punished with 
incarceration.

Article (253)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not exceeding (5) five years shall be imposed on 
whoever forges a copy of an official document and such copy has been used, or uses a copy  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  79 
 of an official do cument knowing of its forgery. The penalty shall be incarceration if such 
copy is of an unofficial document.

Article (254)  
An official document is that which a public servant or a person entrusted with a public 
service has the competence to prepare or to  interfere in preparing it in any manner or to 
grant it an official character.  
Any other document shall be considered as non -official document.

Article (255)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not exceeding (5) five years shall be imposed on any 
phys ician or midwife who knowingly issues a false certificate or statement concerning a 
pregnancy, delivery, disease, physical disability, death or any other similar matter having 
connection with his profession, even if the act was committed due to an urgent r equest, 
recommendation or intermediation.

Article (256)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding (2) two years or a fine not exceeding 
(10,000) ten thousand AED shall be imposed on anyone who, during the investigation 
procedures regarding a matter of death, inheritance or bequest prescribed by law, provides 
before the authority that is competent to issue the notice thereof, with false statements 
concerning the facts to be established, not knowing the reality of such facts or knowing that 
they  are not correct, whenever the notice is issued on basis of said statements.

Article (257)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding (2) two years or a fine not exceeding 
(50,000) fifty thousand AED shall be imposed on anyone who provides inc orrect personal 
information in a judicial or administrative investigation.  
The same penalty shall be imposed on whoever provides false personal information to a  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  80 
 public servant during and for the purpose of the performance of his job.

Article (258)  
Whoeve r knowingly uses a forged document shall be punished by the penalty prescribed for 
the crime of forgery, as the case may be.  
Whoever unlawfully uses or benefits from a genuine document or the copy thereof in the 
name of another person shall be punished by the same penalty, as the case may be.

Article (259)  
The provisions of this Part  shall not apply to the cases of forgery stipulated in any special 
penal laws.  
  
Chapter Seven  
Embezzlement and Damage to Public Funds

Article (260)  
A penalty of temporary imp risonment shall be imposed on any public servant or any person 
entrusted with a public service who embezzles funds, papers or other things held in his 
possession ex officio or by reason of his assignment.  
The penalty shall be temporary imprisonment for a p eriod not less than (5) five years if the 
crime is indivisibly connected to or associated with a crime of forgery or use of a forged 
document or forged copy of an official document.

Article (261)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on an y public servant or any person 
entrusted with a public service who takes advantage of his profession and unlawfully 
embezzles the funds, papers or other things of the State or any of the authorities stated in 
article (5), or embezzles private papers or fun ds in his possession or facilitates the same for 
other persons.  
The penalty shall be temporary imprisonment for a period not less than (5) five years if the  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  81 
 crime is indivisibly connected to or associated with a crime of forgery or use of a forged 
document  or forged copy of an official document.

Article (262)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on any public servant or any person 
entrusted with a public service who unlawfully obtains or attempts to obtain for himself or 
for a third party a profit or an interest from an act related to his job duties.

Article (263)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment for a period not exceeding (5) five years shall be 
imposed on any public servant officer or any person entrusted with a public service whose 
work is related to the collection of taxes, duties, fines or the like, who knowingly requests 
the payment of which is not due or what exceeds what is due.

Article (264)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on any public servant or any per son 
entrusted with a public service who deliberately harms the funds or interests of the entity 
where he works, or the funds or interests of a third party entrusted to such entity.

Article (265)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be applied on any  public servant or any person 
entrusted with a public service whose work is related to the preparation, administration or 
execution of contracting, supply or public works pertaining to the State or any of the 
authorities mentioned in article (5) above, who  benefits directly or through an intermediary 
from any of said works, or who obtains for himself or for another person, a commission in 
connection with any matter pertaining to such works.

Article (266)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment for a period no t exceeding (5) five years shall be  
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 imposed on anyone who deliberately commits fraud in performing all or part of the 
obligations imposed thereon by a contracting agreement or supply contract or by any other 
administrative contract concluded between him an d the Government or any of the 
authorities mentioned in article (5).The penalty shall be temporary imprisonment if the 
crime has caused serious damage, or if said contract is concluded for the purpose of 
providing the needs of the defence and security, whe never the perpetrator is aware of such 
purpose.

Article (267)  
In addition to the penalties prescribed for crimes stated in this Chapter, the perpetrator shall 
be sentenced to refund and a fine equal to the amount of funds subject of or resulting from 
the crime, provided that it is not less than (50,000) fifty thousand AED.

Article (268)  
A penalty of incarceration and/or a fine not more than (50,000) fifty thousand AED shall be 
imposed on any public servant or any person entrusted with a public service w ho, due to his 
fault, causes damage to the funds or interests of his employer or to the funds or interests of a 
third party assigned to said employer.

Article (269)  
The provisions of this Law shall apply to whoever commits one of the crimes stipulated in  
this Chapter and Chapter One of Section Two of Book Two of this Law outside the State, if 
the perpetrator or the victim is a citizen or if it is committed by an employee of the public or 
private sector of the State or if it affects a public property.

Article (270)  
The criminal lawsuit shall not expire upon the lapse of term in any of the crimes stipulated in 
this Chapter, and the punishment imposed shall not be forfeited. Moreover, civil lawsuits 
either arising or related thereto shall not expire upon th e lapse of term.   
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Article (271)  
Attempt to commit crimes stipulated in this Chapter shall be punished by the same penalty 
prescribed for the consummated crime.  
  
Chapter Eight  
Strike and Obstruction of Work Progress

Article (272)  
If at least three public servants leave their work or deliberately abstain from performing any 
of their duties, based on a mutual agreement among them or seeking to achieve an illicit 
purpose, each of them shall be punished by incarceration for a period not less than (6) six 
month s and not exceeding one year.  
The penalty shall be incarceration if such leaving or abstaining endangers peoples' lives, 
health or security, causes disturbance or commotion among people, causes disruption to 
another public interest, or if the perpetrator i s an instigator.  
In all cases, the court shall order the deportation of the foreigner perpetrator.

Article (273)  
A penalty of incarceration shall be imposed on anyone who violates the public servant's 
right of work, whether done with force, violence and threat or in any unlawful manner.

Article (274)  
A penalty of incarceration or a fine shall be imposed on any contractor or individual in 
charge of the administration of a public utility who stops the work whenever it is without 
justification and results in the disruption of performance or regularity of the public service.  
  
 
 
  
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 Section  Two  
Crimes Relating to Public Service  
Chapter One  
Bribery

Article (275)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on any public servant, a person 
entrusted with a pu blic service, a foreign public servant or an employee of an international 
organization who, directly or indirectly, requests, accepts, takes or promises an unentitled 
gift, privilege or grant, whether in favour of the employee himself or in favour of anoth er 
person, entity or establishment, in return for performing or omit an act that falls within his 
job duties or for violating his job duties, even if he has intended not to perform or omit such 
act or to violate his job duties, or if such request, acceptan ce or taking occurs after 
performing or omitting the act or violating his job duties.

Article (276)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on any public servant, a person 
entrusted with a public service, a foreign public servant or an emplo yee of an international 
organization who, directly or indirectly, requests, accepts, takes or promises, an unentitled 
gift, privilege or grant, whether in favour of the employee himself or in favour of another 
person, entity or establishment, in return for  performing or omitting performing an act 
which is wrongly believed or which he claims to be among his job duties.

Article (277)  
In the application of Articles (275) and (280) of this Law, arbitrators, experts and fact -finders 
are treated as public serva nts within the limits of the work assigned thereto.

Article (278)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment for a period not exceeding (5) five years shall be  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  85 
 imposed on whoever manages an entity or establishment of the Private Sector, or works 
therefor in any  capacity, who, directly or indirectly, requests, accepts, takes or promises, an 
unentitled gift, privilege or grant, whether in favour of the employee himself or for another 
person, in return for performing or omitting an act that falls within his job dut ies or that 
violates his job duties, even if he has intended not to perform or omit such act, or if such 
request, acceptance or promise occurs after performing or omitting the act.

Article (279)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment for a period not exceed ing (5) five years, shall be 
imposed on any person who, directly or indirectly, promises, offers or grants a person 
managing an entity or an establishment in the Private Sector an unentitled gift, privilege or 
grant, whether in favour of said person himsel f or in favour of another person, in return for 
performing or omitting an act that falls within his job duties or that violates of his job duties.

Article (280)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment for a period not exceeding (5) five years, shall be 
impos ed on any person who, directly or indirectly, a public servant, a person entrusted with 
a public service, a foreign public servant or an employee of an international organisation, an 
unentitled gift, benefit or grant, whether in favour of the employee hims elf or for another 
person or entity, in return for performing or omitting an act included in his job duties in 
violation thereof.

Article (281)  
A penalty of Imprisonment for a period not less than one year and/or a fine not less than 
(20,000) twenty thou sand AED shall be imposed on whoever requests, for himself or for 
others, accepts or takes a promise or gift to use real or alleged influence to obtain or to 
attempt to obtain, from a public department or authority or an entity subject to its 
supervision, a grant, service, benefit, or any unentitled privilege of any kind.  
The penalty shall be imprisonment for a period not exceeding (5) five years if the perpetrator  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  86 
 is a public servant, a person entrusted with a public service, a foreign public servant or an  
employee of an international organisation.

Article (282)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment for a period not exceeding (5) five years shall be 
imposed on whoever intercedes to influence the briber or the bribed to offer, request, 
accept, receive or pro mise a bribe.

Article (283)  
The perpetrator in all cases stated in the preceding Articles of this Chapter shall be punished 
with a fine equivalent to what has been requested or offered or accepted, provided that the 
fine shall not be less than (5,000) fi ve thousand AED.  
A judgment shall also be issued to confiscate the gift accepted by or offered to the public 
servant or the person entrusted with a public service.

Article (284)  
The briber or the intermediary shall be exempted from the penalty if he info rms the judicial 
or administrative authorities of the crime before it is discovered.

Article (285)  
The provisions of this Law shall apply to whoever commits one of the crimes stipulated in 
this Chapter outside the State, if the perpetrator or the victim is a citizen, or if the crime is 
committed by an employee of the public or private sector of the State or affects public funds.

Article (286)  
The criminal lawsuit shall not expire upon the lapse of the term in one of the crimes 
stipulated in this Chapter  and the adjudged penalty shall not be forfeited. The civil lawsuits 
that arise from or are connected to such lawsuit shall not expire upon the lapse of the term.  
   
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Article (287)  
Attempt to commit crimes stipulated in this Chapter shall be punished with th e same 
penalty prescribed for the consummated crime.  
  
Chapter Two  
Jobbery of Abuse of Power

Article (288)  
A penalty of incarceration shall be imposed on any public servant or aby person entrusted 
with a public service who, in cases other than those stipul ated in the law, arrests, 
incarcerates or detains any person.

Article (289)  
A penalty of incarceration shall be imposed on any public servant or any person entrusted 
with a public service if he knowingly searches a person, his residence or his place of w ork in 
cases other than those stipulated in the law, or without consideration of the conditions 
contained therein.

Article (290)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on any public servant who, 
personally or through an intermediary, uses t orture, force or threat with an accused, witness 
or expert in order to compel him to confess a crime, to make a statement or to give 
information relating thereto, or in order to conceal any matter whatsoever.

Article (291)  
A penalty of temporary imprison ment for a period not exceeding (5) five years shall be 
imposed on any public officer who punishes or orders to punish any convict with a penalty 
that is severer than the one imposed thereon or a penalty which has not been imposed 
thereon.   
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Article (292)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not less than one year and not exceeding (5) five 
years, any public servant whose work is related to managing or guarding a penal 
establishment or any other establishment or institution designated for the enforcement  of 
the criminal or social defence measures if he accepts, without an order from the competent 
authority, to place a person in such establishment or institution, or to hold him therein after 
expiry of the period determined for such order, or who refrains f rom executing the order of 
release.

Article (293)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not less than one year and/or a fine not less (10,000) 
ten thousand AED shall be imposed any public servant or any person entrusted with a public 
service who, based on  the power of his office, treats any person with cruelty, in such a 
manner as to dishonour or cause him bodily agony.

Article (294)  
A penalty of incarceration shall be imposed on any public servant who, abuses the power of 
his office, to stop or impede t he enforcement of the provisions of laws, regulations, systems, 
resolutions or orders issued by the Government, or the execution of any judgment or order 
issued by a competent judicial authority, or to delay the collection of any funds, taxes or 
duties pre scribed by the Government.

Article (295)  
A penalty by incarceration shall be imposed on any employee in post, telegraph or 
telephone offices, who opens, destroys or conceals a letter or telegram or data deposited or 
delivered to any of said offices, or w ho facilitates this matter to others, or he discloses a 
secret contained in a letter, telegram, or telephone call.  
  
  
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Article (296)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on any public servant or any person 
entrusted with a public service, apa rt from those mentioned in the preceding Article, who 
gives, damages, conceals, or facilitates for another person the acquisition of, information or 
data that he knows of or unlawfully extracts by virtue of his office.  
  
Chapter Three  
Assault on Employees

Article (297)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not less than (6) six months shall be imposed on 
anyone who uses force or violence or threat against any public servant or any person 
entrusted with public a service, with the intention of unlawfully fo rcing him to perform or 
omit any of his office duties, and has not achieved his intention; however, if he achieves his 
intention, the penalty shall be imprisonment for a period not less than one year.  
If the crime is premeditated, or committed by more than  one person or by a person carrying 
a visible weapon, or if the crime is accompanied by battery, the penalty shall be 
imprisonment for a period not less than one year and a fine not less than (100,000) one 
hundred thousand AED.

Article (298)  
1. A penalty of  incarceration for a period not less than (6) six months and a fine not 
exceeding (50,000) fifty thousand AED shall be imposed on anyone who assaults a 
public servant or a person entrusted with a public service, or if he resists him forcibly or 
violently, in the course of or because of the performance of his duties or service.  
2. The penalty shall be incarceration for a period not less than one year and a fine not less 
than (50,000) fifty thousand AED, if the assault or resistance involves battery.  
3. If any of t he crimes stated in the preceding paragraph is premeditated, or committed by 
more than one person or by a person carrying a visible weapon, or if the assaulted public 
service is an employee of the security or police authorities, the penalty shall be  
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 impris onment.  
  
Chapter Four  
Assumption of Offices and Capacities

Article (299)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding (5) five years shall be imposed on 
anyone who unduly assumes any of the public offices. The same penalty shall be imposed 
on any one who interferes with a public office or service, or performs any of its duties or 
requirements without being competent or entrusted therewith, for the achievement of an 
unlawful purpose or to obtain for himself or others a privilege of any kind.  
The pen alty shall be incarceration for a period not less than one year and not exceeding (5) 
five years if any of the crimes cited in the first paragraph is committed by assuming the 
capacity of security or police personnel.

Article (300)  
A penalty of incarcerat ion for a period not exceeding one year or a fine not less than 
(10,000) ten thousand AED shall be imposed on whoever unlawfully publicly wears official 
uniform or attire exclusively designated by law for a certain category of people, wears the 
uniform of a rank higher than his, wears a medal, ribbon, badge or sign of an office, or 
assumes any of the officially recognized honorary, official, scientific or university titles, or 
any of the military ranks or public parliamentary capacities. This provision shal l also apply if 
the uniform, medal, or any of the aforementioned things belongs to a foreign country.

Article (301)  
The court may, in the cases stipulated in the two preceding Articles, order that the judgment 
or an excerpt thereof be published by the ap propriate manner at the expense of the convict.  
  
 
  
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 Section  Three  
Crimes Against Administration of Justice  
Chapter One  
False Testimony, Perjury and Abstention From Testifying

Article (302)  
Whoever delivers under oath false testimony before a judicial authori ty or a panel, 
competent to hear witnesses, or who denies the truth, conceals all or part of what he knows 
concerning the facts of a lawsuit regarding which he is being interrogated, whether the 
person delivering the testimony is admitted to testify or whe ther his testimony is accepted in 
the proceedings or not, shall be punished with incarceration for a period not less than (3) 
three months.  
If such an act occurs in the course of investigating a felony or the trial thereof, he shall be 
punished with tempor ary imprisonment; and if the false testimony results in adjudging the 
death penalty or life imprisonment, the false witness shall be punished with the same 
penalty.

Article (303)  
The following shall be exempted from the penalty:  
1. Any witness who delivers the testimony during a criminal investigation if he retracts his 
false testimony before the end of the investigation and before he is denounced.  
2. Any witness who testifies on any trial if he retracts his false testimony prior to the 
issuance of any judgment  on merits, even if not final.

Article (304)  
The following shall be exempted from the penalty:  
1. Any witness who - by saying the truth - would conceivably expose himself to serious 
prejudice to his liberty or honour, or would expose his spouse, even divorc ed, or any of 
his ascendants, descendants, siblings, or in -laws of the same degrees.   
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  92 
 2. Any witness who, having announced to the court his name, surname and nickname, was 
not supposed to be heard as a witness or was supposed to be warned that, if this were 
his wish, he would have been entitled to abstain from bearing witness.  
3. If in the two above cases, the false testimony has exposed another person to any legal 
prosecution or conviction, the witness shall be punished with incarceration for a period 
not less th an (6) six months.

Article (305)  
The penalty shall be reduced to its half, for the person upon whose instigation the false 
testimony has been delivered, if the witness, by saying the truth, would have inevitably 
exposed him or any of his relatives to har m as specified in the first paragraph of the 
preceding Article.

Article (306)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not less than one year and not exceeding (5) five 
years shall be imposed on any expert, translator or fact -finder appointed by the judici al 
authority or administrative authority in a civil or criminal lawsuit, who knowingly confirms a 
matter contrary to the truth and knowingly interprets the same inaccurately.  
The penalty shall be temporary imprisonment be imposed if the assignment entruste d to the 
aforementioned categories is related to a felony.  
The aforementioned categories shall be deprived from re -assuming the same assignments 
which had been entrusted thereto, and they shall be subject to the provisions of Article 
(304) of this Law.

Article (307)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment for a period not exceeding (5) five years shall be 
imposed on any physician or midwife requesting or accepting, for themselves or for other 
0persons, a gift or privilege of any kind or a promise of anything of the like, in return for 
delivering false testimony concerning pregnancy, giving birth, disease, physical disability or  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  93 
 death, or if they give such testimony due to an urgent request, recommendation or 
intermediation.  
In such a case, the provision of the  second paragraph of article (302) of this Law shall apply.

Article (308)  
Without prejudice to the provisions of article (290) of this Law, a penalty of incarceration 
and a fine shall be imposed on anyone who uses torture, force or threat, or who offers a  gift 
or privilege of any kind or a promise of any such things, in order to coerce another person to 
suppress any matter, or to make untrue statements or conceal any evidence before any 
judicial authority.

Article (309)  
A penalty of incarceration for a p eriod not exceeding two years and a fine not exceeding 
(10,000) ten thousand AED shall be imposed on anyone who compels the adversary party in 
a civil matter to take oath or to whom oath is reverted and commits perjury.  
The perpetrator shall be exempted fr om the penalty if he says the truth after committing 
perjury and before the issuance of a judgment on the lawsuit in which perjury has been 
committed.

Article (310)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding one year and/or a fine not exceedin g 
(5,000) five thousand AED shall be imposed on anyone who is called upon to deliver a 
testimony before any judicial authority and who abstains from taking the oath or testifying 
evidence, unless his refusal is justified by an acceptable excuse.  
The perpet rator shall be exempted from the penalty if he tracts his abstention before the 
issuance of any judgment on the lawsuit.  
  
 
  
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 Chapter Two  
Influencing and Defamation of the Judiciary

Article (311)  
A penalty of incarceration and/or a fine shall be imposed on an yone who, by any means of 
publicity, prejudices the dignity of a judge or any member of the Public Prosecution in 
respect of any lawsuit or in relation thereto.

Article (312)  
A penalty of incarceration or a fine shall be imposed on any individual who pub lishes, 
through any means of publicity, any matters with the intention of causing influence on the 
judges - resolving a lawsuit presented before them - or on the members of Public 
Prosecution, any other persons who are charged with the investigation or exp ert work, or on 
any witnesses who may be called upon to testify in any lawsuit or investigation. The same 
penalty shall be imposed on anyone who publishes, through any means of publicity, any 
matters with the intention of hindering a person from declaring any information to the 
competent authorities, or of influencing the public opinion in favour of or against any of the 
parties to the lawsuit or investigation.  
In the published matters are false, the perpetrator shall be punished with incarceration and a 
fine.

Article (313)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding two years or a fine shall be imposed on 
anyone who, by any means of publicity, publishes:  
1. News in respect of a current investigation into a crime or any of the documents relevant 
to such investigation, if the investigation authority has prohibited the publication of any 
such news.  
2. News in respect of investigations or proceedings in lawsuits of pedigree, marriage, child 
custody, divorce, alimony, separation, adultery, libel or disclosu re of secrets.  
3. Names or pictures of juvenile delinquents.   
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  95 
 4. Names or pictures of victims of crimes involving a breach of honour.  
5. Names or pictures of convicted persons with a stay of execution.  
6. Court deliberations.  
7. News in respect of lawsuits which courts ha ve decided to hear in secret sessions or 
which they have prohibited their publication.

Article (314)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding one year or a fine not exceeding 
(10,000) ten thousand AED shall be imposed on anyone who, by any m eans of publicity, in a 
dishonest manner and in bad faith, publishes the proceedings of the court hearings.  
  
Chapter Three  
Obstruction of Judicial Proceedings

Article (315)  
A penalty of incarceration shall be imposed on anyone who, with the intention to m islead 
the judiciary, the investigation authority or evidence -gathering, modifies the situations of 
the persons, places or things, conceals the evidence of the crime, or knowingly provides false 
information in this respect.

Article (316)  
A penalty of inc arceration and a fine shall be imposed on anyone who conceals, destroys, or 
takes possession of a document, deed or any other thing submitted to any of the 
investigation authorities, or in a lawsuit before any of the judicial authorities, for the 
purpose o f misleading the judiciary or the investigation authority.  
This provision shall apply even if such document, deed or thing is left in possession of the 
person who submits it, until requested.

Article (317)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exce eding (6) six months or a fine not exceeding  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  96 
 (5,000) five thousand AED shall be imposed on anyone who is legally bound to submit any 
document or any other object useful to establish an incident presented to the courts, but 
abstains therefrom in cases other  than those permitted by the law.

Article (318)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding (2) two years and/or a fine not 
exceeding (100,000) one hundred thousand AED if he commits in bad faith such act that 
may obstruct the execution procedu res against any asset attached judicially, whether by 
moving, concealing, disposing of, destroying or changing the descriptions of such asset.  
The above penalty shall apply, even if the act is committed by the owner or custodian of the 
asset.

Article (319) 
The penalty prescribed in the preceding Article shall be imposed on any public servant or 
any person entrusted with a public service who deliberately and unlawfully abstains from 
executing a judgment or order issued by any court after the lapse of (8) e ight days as of 
being officially notified of execution, whenever the execution of such judgment or order is 
within his competence.

Article (320)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who hides the body of a 
person who died in an accident. A penalty of incarceration shall be imposed on anyone who 
buries such body prior to authorizing such burial by the competent entities.  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding (3) three months or a fine if he buries 
the body of a per son who dies naturally, without permission by the competent entities.  
  
 
 
  
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 Chapter Four  
Abstention From Reporting Crimes

Article (321)  
A penalty of incarceration or a fine shall be imposed on any public servant in charge of 
detecting and seizing crimes, who f ails or defers to report a crime that comes to his 
knowledge.  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding one year or a fine shall be imposed on 
any official who is not in charge of detecting or seizing crimes, and fails or defers to notify 
the c oncerned authority of a crime that comes to his knowledge, in the course of or in 
respect of the performance his job.  
No penalties shall be imposed if filing a lawsuit in either of the cases stated in the preceding 
two paragraphs, is dependent on a complai nt. 
Exemption from the penalty stipulated in the second paragraph of this Article may be 
granted if the public servant is a spouse, descendant, ascendant, sibling, or an in -law with 
the same degree of relationship, of the perpetrator.

Article (322)  
A pen alty of incarceration for a period not less than one year and/or a fine not less than 
(20,000) twenty thousand AED shall be imposed on anyone who, in the course of practising 
his medical or health profession, examines a deceased person or gives first aid t o a seriously 
injured person, in whom he finds signs showing that the death or injury is the result of a 
crime or that the circumstances of such death or injury appear doubtful thereto, and has not 
informed the authorities.

Article (323)  
A penalty of inc arceration for a period not exceeding one year or a fine shall be imposed on 
whoever becomes aware of a crime and abstains from informing the competent authorities.  
Exemption from such penalty may be granted if the person abstaining is a spouse, 
descendant , ascendant, sibling, or an in -law with the same degree of relationship, of the  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  98 
 perpetrator.  
  
Chapter Five  
False Reporting

Article (324)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding (6) six months and/or a fine shall be 
imposed on whoever reports  to judicial or administrative authorities non -existent or false 
accidents or hazards, or a crime knowing that it has not been committed.

Article (325)  
A penalty of incarceration confinement and/or a fine shall be imposed on whoever, falsely 
and in bad f aith, informs the judicial or administrative authorities that a person has 
committed an act subject to criminal punishment or administrative sanction, even if it does 
not result in filing a criminal or disciplinary lawsuit; and also on whoever falsely and 
contrary to the reality attributes material evidence to a crime committed by a person, or 
causes legal proceedings to be taken against a person that he knows he is innocent.  
The penalty in both cases shall be incarceration and a fine if the crime falsely r eported is a 
felony; and if such false reporting leads to imposing a penalty prescribed for a felony, the 
false reporter shall be punished with the same penalty imposed.  
  
Chapter Six 
Breaking of Seals and Tampering with Objects Held in Safe -Keeping

Article (326)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding one year and/or a fine not exceeding 
(10,000) ten thousand AED shall be imposed on anyone who removes, breaks or destroys 
any of the seals placed by virtue of an order issued by the judicial aut hority or the 
administrative entities on a shop, documents or any other things, or who causes, through 
any means, said seal to fall short of the purpose intended for which it has been originally  
Federal Law by Decree of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law  99 
 placed.  
The penalty shall be incarceration if the perpetrator  is the custodian.  
If the perpetrator uses violence against persons upon committing the crime, this shall be 
deemed as an aggravating circumstance.

Article (327)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding (5) five years shall be imposed on 
anyone who unlawfully removes, destroys or acquires papers, documents or things left 
under a judicial or administrative judgment or order in such places prepared for 
safe -keeping thereof, or delivered to a person assigned to preserve them; and the penalty 
shall be temporary imprisonment if the perpetrator is the custodian or the person in charge 
of preserving such items.  
If the perpetrator uses violence against persons upon committing the crime, this shall be 
deemed as an aggravating circumstance.

Article (328) 
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding (6) six months and/or a fine not 
exceeding (5,000) five thousand AED shall be imposed on anyone who, while entrusted 
with the safe -keeping of a seal placed by virtue of a judicial or administrative judgment or 
order, causes with his negligence any of the crimes stipulated in the two preceding Articles 
to be committed.  
  
Chapter Seven  
Escape of the Accused and Convicts

Article (329)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding (2) two years s hall be imposed on 
anyone who escapes while being by force of the law, held under arrest or detention pending 
investigation.  
The penalty shall be incarceration if the crime is committed by two or more persons, or by  
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 threat or violence against persons or pr operty.  
The penalty shall be temporary imprisonment for a period not exceeding (5) five years if the 
crime is committed through the use or threat to use weapons.

Article (330)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding (2) two years shall be i mposed on 
anyone placed under electronic surveillance, by virtue of a decision or judgment, and 
escapes from the surveillance imposed thereon.  
The same penalty stipulated in the preceding paragraph shall be imposed on anyone placed 
under electronic surveil lance, by virtue of a decision or judgment, and disrupts or hinders, by 
any means the remote surveillance device, which detects his location or his absence from his 
designated residence as per the decision of the Public Prosecution or the competent court, as 
the case may be.  
If the act stated in the preceding paragraph led to the total or partial damage of the 
electronic receivers and surveillance devices, the penalty shall be incarceration for a period 
not less than one year and a fine not less than (20,00 0) twenty thousand AED and no 
exceeding (30,000) thirty thousand AED, along with obligating the perpetrator to pay the 
value of the damaged devices.

Article (331)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding (2) two years or by a fine not exceed ing 
(20,000) twenty thousand AED shall be imposed on anyone in charge of guarding, watching, 
transporting or escorting a person under arrest, and who by his negligence causes the escape 
of such person, if the fugitive is convicted of a penalty prescribed f or a felony or an accused 
in a felony. But in other cases, the penalty shall be incarceration for a period not exceeding 
(6) six months or a fine not exceeding (5,000) five thousand AED.

Article (332)  
Whoever is in charge of guarding, watching, transport ing or escorting a person under arrest,  
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 and assists him to escape, facilitates his escape, or overlooks it, shall be punished according 
to the following provisions:  
1. If the fugitive is sentenced to death, the penalty shall be temporary imprisonment for a 
period not less than (5) five years.  
2. If the fugitive is sentenced to temporary or life imprisonment or if he is accused of a 
crime punishable by death, the penalty shall be imprisonment for a period not exceeding 
(7) seven years.  
3. In other cases, the penalty shall be incarceration for a period not less than one year.

Article (333)  
Any public servant or any person entrusted with a public service, who is assigned with the 
arrest of a person and who neglects to execute the order with the intent of helping him t o 
escape from justice, shall be punished with the penalty stipulated in the preceding Article, as 
per the cases stated therein.

Article (334)  
Whoever enables or helps an arrested person to escape or facilitates his escape, in cases 
other than those menti oned in the preceding Articles, shall be punished according to the 
following provisions:  
1. If the fugitive is sentenced to death, the penalty shall be imprisonment for a period not 
less than (5) five years.  
2. If the fugitive is sentenced to life or temporary i mprisonment, or if he is accused of a 
crime punishable by death, the penalty shall be imprisonment for a period not exceeding 
(5) five years.  
3. In other cases, the penalty shall be incarceration.  
If the crime is committed by two or more persons by using thre at or violence against persons 
or things, or by using or threatening to use weapons, this shall be considered an aggravating 
circumstance; however, the penalty shall in no case exceed the maximum limit prescribed 
for the crime committed by the fugitive.   
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Article (335)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment for a period not exceeding (7) seven years shall be 
imposed on anyone who supplies an arrested person with weapons or tools to use them in 
escaping.

Article (336)  
Anyone who knowingly hides or shelters, p ersonally or through an intermediary, a fugitive 
under arrest, an accused of a crime or is a person subject of an order of arrest, and anyone 
who helps him, in any manner whatever, to escape from justice, shall be punished according 
to the following provis ions:  
1. If the person who was hidden, sheltered or helped to escape from justice is 
sentenced to death, the penalty shall be imprisonment for a period not exceeding (7) 
seven years, and if he is sentenced to life or temporary imprisonment or is accused of 
a crime punishable by death sentence, the penalty shall be temporary imprisonment 
for a period not exceeding (5) five years.  
In other cases, the penalty shall be incarceration for a period not exceeding (3) three 
months.  
2. In the crime is committed by two or more persons, with the use of threat or violence 
against persons or property, or with the use or threat to use weapons, this shall be 
considered an aggravating circumstance.

Article (337)  
Anyone who knows that a crime is committed, and helps its perpetra tor escape from justice 
by concealing any of the crime's evidence, providing false information concerning the crime, 
while knowing that they are false, or by providing any other kind of assistance, shall be 
punished according to the following provisions:  
1. If the person escaping from justice is accused of a felony punishable by death, the 
penalty shall be incarceration.  
2. In other cases, the penalty shall be either incarceration or a fine.   
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 Section  Four  
Crimes Causing Public Danger  
Chapter One  
Transgression Ag ainst Public Means of Transportation and Utilities

Article (338)  
A penalty of life imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who attacks an aircraft or a ship 
with the intention of capturing it or seizing all or part of the goods transported thereon, or 
with  the intention of harming one or more persons onboard thereof, or in order to 
unwarrantably change its direction.  
The same penalty shall be imposed if the act is committed by a person who is onboard the 
aircraft or ship.  
If the perpetrator, immediately aft er the perpetrator captures the aircraft or ship, without 
causing damage thereto or to the goods transported thereon, or harm to any of the persons 
on board, returns such aircraft or ship to its lawful pilot or captain or to any individual who 
has legal ti tle to take possession thereof, the penalty to be imposed shall be temporary 
imprisonment for a period not exceeding (5) five years.

Article (339)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who deliberately 
endangers, in any manner what soever, the safety of a ship or aircraft or any other public 
transport means.  
The penalty shall be life imprisonment if said act results in a disaster to any of the above.

Article (340)  
A penalty of incarceration and a fine shall be imposed on anyone who  causes sabotage or 
damage to a public road, airport, maritime port, land port, vault, or navigable water course.  
The penalty shall be life or temporary imprisonment, if the perpetrator uses detonation or 
explosives to commit the crime.   
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Article (341)  
A penalty of imprisonment for a period not exceeding (7) seven years shall be imposed on 
any individual deliberately disrupts the function of a public land, sea or air means of 
transportation.

Article (342)  
A penalty of incarceration and/or a fine shall be imposed on anyone who causes by his fault 
an accident to any of the public land, sea or air means of transportation, that would disrupt 
its functioning or endangers persons.  
The penalty shall be temporary imprisonment if said act results in a disaster.

Article (343)  
A penalty pf incarceration shall be imposed on anyone who deliberately endangers the 
safety of any private means of transportation in any manner whatsoever.  
The penalty shall be temporary imprisonment if the act deliberately affects the means of 
transportation of the security or police authorities.

Article (344)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not less than one year and a fine not less than 
(50,000) fifty thousand AED shall be imposed on anyone who deliberately removes, breaks, 
destro ys or incapacitates any equipment, tools or signs designated for prevention of 
accidents or surveillance cameras.  
The penalty shall be temporary imprisonment if said act results in a disaster  
In all cases, the perpetrator shall be ordered by a judgment to pay the value of the damages 
caused thereby.

Article (345 ) 
If the perpetrator, in order to commit any of the crimes stipulated in this Chapter, takes 
advantage of a period of commotion or riot, or if he commits it with the use of violence or  
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 threat, this  shall be considered an aggravating circumstance.

Article (346 ) 
A penalty of temporary imprisonment and a fine not less than (100,000) one hundred 
thousand AED shall be imposed on whoever transports or attempts to transport any 
weapons, ammunition, firew orks, military equipment, or flammable, chemical, biological, 
radiant or nuclear substances in a land, sea or air means of transportation, or via a letter or 
parcel, in violation to the relevant laws, regulations or systems.  
In all cases, a judgment shall be issued ordering the confiscation of the substances and 
means of transportation, and the deportation of the foreigner.

Article (347 ) 
A penalty of by temporary imprisonment for a period not exceeding (5) five years if he 
deliberately disrupts a means of  telecommunication or other services allocated for public 
benefit or cuts or destroys or deliberately prevents the repair of any of its wires or devices.  
The penalty shall be temporary imprisonment for a period not less than (5) five years if the 
crime is committed at times of war, riot or commotion or by the use of firecrackers or 
explosives.

Article (348 ) 
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding one year or a fine not exceeding 
(10,000) ten thousand AED shall be imposed on any individual wh o deliberately causes 
nuisance to other through using telecommunication devices.

Article (349 ) 
A penalty of life imprisonment shall be imposed on whoever deliberately endangers the life 
or safety of people, by using substances, germs or other things whic h cause death or serious 
damage to public health.  
   
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Article (350 ) 
A penalty of incarceration and a fine shall be imposed on anyone who spoils the water of a 
well, reservoir, any other public water storage tank, or any other similar thing designated for 
the public use, causing such water to become unfit for use.

Article (351 ) 
A penalty of temporary imprisonment for a period not exceeding (10) ten years shall be 
imposed on anyone who deliberately breaks, destroys or commits any other similar act 
impairing t he machines, pipes or devices pertaining to the utilities of water, electricity, gas, 
petroleum or any other public utility, if such act puts said utility out of service.

Article (352 ) 
A penalty of life imprisonment shall be imposed on whoever deliberate ly demolishes, 
sabotages, spoils or causes damage to any fixed or mobile private health facilities and units 
or items or instruments present in such units and facilities, or deliberately impairs any of 
them or makes them unfit for use.

Article (353 ) 
A pe nalty of imprisonment for a period not less than one year and a fine not less than 
(50,000) fifty thousand AED shall be imposed on whoever deliberately disrupts, in any 
manner, a device, machine, or other things which are designated for first aid, firefigh ting, 
rescue of drowned persons or prevention of other accidents.  
The penalty shall be temporary imprisonment if the crime results in a disaster.  
In all cases, the perpetrator shall be ordered by a judgment to pay the value of the damages 
caused thereby.  
  
 
 
  
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 Chapter Two  
Fire

Article (354 ) 
A penalty of temporary imprisonment for a period not less than (7) seven years shall be 
imposed on anyone who deliberately sets fire to buildings, factories, workshops, 
warehouses, occupied or unoccupied buildings located in  a city or village, or to railway 
coaches or stations, vehicles carrying one or more persons or attached to a train carrying one 
or more persons, ships navigating or anchoring in any harbour, aircraft flying or landing in 
an airport, or to buildings constr ucted or designated for residence located outside inhabited 
areas, whether all such things are owned by the perpetrator or not.  
If it appears that the fire was set to grant the perpetrator or another person an advantage, 
this shall be considered an aggrava ting circumstance.  
In all cases, a judgment shall be issued ordering the perpetrator to pay a fine equivalent to 
the damages caused thereby.

Article (355 ) 
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who deliberately sets fire 
to: 
1. Timbe rlands or forests for wood gathering, or gardens or crops before they are 
harvested, if they are the property of other persons.  
2. Timberlands or forests for wood gathering, or gardens, or crops before they are 
harvested, if they are his own property and if t he fire has extended to other persons 
property, causing harm thereto.

Article (356 ) 
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who deliberately sets fire 
to buildings that are uninhabited and are not designated for habitation, which a re located 
out of the inhabited areas,, or to crops, piles of hay, harvested yield left where it has been 
harvested, or to firewood piled, closely packed together or left where it has been gathered,  
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 whether such things are not the property of the perpetrat or, or are his own property and the 
fire has extended to another person's property causing harm thereto.

Article (357 ) 
A penalty of incarceration and a fine not less than (10,000) ten thousand AED shall be 
imposed on whoever sets fire in cases other than  the cases stated in the preceding Articles 
for the purpose of inflicting material damage to third parties, or gaining illicit advantage for 
the perpetrator or another person.

Article (358 ) 
If the fire results in the death of a human being, the person wh o has set it shall be sentenced 
to death in the cases stipulated in Articles (354) and (355) of this Law, and to life 
imprisonment in the cases stipulated in Articles (356) and (357).

Article (359 ) 
Using an explosive to damage any of the things stated in  the preceding Articles of this 
Chapter shall be deemed an aggravating circumstance, even if the damage is partial.

Article (360 ) 
Anyone who causes, by his fault, the burning of any object belonging to a third party, shall 
be punished by incarceration fo r a period not exceeding one year or a fine not exceeding 
(10,000) ten thousand AED.

Article (361 ) 
A penalty of incarceration for a period not less than one year or a fine not less than (10,000) 
ten thousand AED shall be imposed on anyone who is, by forc e of the law or systems, bound 
to keep firefighting equipment, and fails to duly install it or to keep it in a continuous 
operational condition.  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not less than one year or a fine not less than (50,000)  
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 fifty thousand AED shall be imposed on whoever removes firefighting equipment or 
changes its place or makes it unfit for use.  
  
Section  Five  
Crimes Against Religions Creeds And Rites

Article (362 ) 
A penalty of incarceration and/or a fine shall be imposed on anyone who co mmits any of 
the following crimes:  
1. Offending any of the Islamic sacred beliefs or rites.  
2. Insulting any of the recognized divine religions.  
3. Approving, instigating or promoting sin or doing any act that would tempt people to 
commit sin.  
If any of such crimes  is committed in public, the penalty shall be incarceration for a period 
not less than one year and/or a fine not less than (100,000) one hundred thousand AED.

Article (363 ) 
1. No penalty shall be imposed on drinking, possessing or trading in alcoholic drin ks in the 
cases and at places authorized in accordance with the legislation in force. Each Emirate 
shall have regulations for the use, circulation and possession of or trading in alcoholic 
drinks.  
2. A penalty of incarceration and/or a fine not less than (500 ,000) five hundred AED shall 
be imposed on anyone who possesses, manufactures, brings, promotes, sells alcoholic 
drinks, or prepares or sets up a place for the consumption of alcoholic drinks, or engages 
in any activity related to the same without a licenc e from the competent entities or in 
violation of the terms of the licence, in other cases or places than those authorized in 
accordance with the legislation in force.  
3. A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding than (6) six months and/or a fine 
not less than (100,000) one hundred AED shall be imposed on anyone who drinks 
alcoholic drinks in a public place or in places other than those authorized in accordance  
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 with the legislation in force, or is found drunk in a public place and causes a riot or 
nuisance to others or disturbs public comfort because of his drunkenness.  
4. A penalty of incarceration and a fine not exceeding (100,000) one hundred AED shall be 
imposed on whoever offers or sells alcoholic drinks to any person under (21) years of 
age, or in stigates him to drink them, or buys them for the purpose of offering to such 
person. Any of such acts shall not be considered a crime if the perpetrator verifies that 
the age of the person to which the alcoholic drinks is offered or sold is not less than ( 21) 
years, based on his passport or any official document.  
In all cases, a judgment shall be issued ordering the confiscation of the seized alcoholic 
drinks and funds obtained therefrom, and the machines, materials, and means used in their 
production or tr ansportation, and the closure of the shop or place where the crime occurs. 
The court may order the deportation of the foreigner.

Article (364 ) 
A penalty of incarceration and/or a fine shall be imposed on anyone who offends any of the 
sacred beliefs or ri tes dictated in other religions, whenever they are protected under the 
provisions of Islamic Sharia.

Article (365 ) 
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding one year or a fine not exceeding 
(10,000) ten thousand AED shall be imposed on anyone  who knowingly profanes or 
desecrates any place designated for the burial of deceased persons or the preservation of 
mortal remains, or anyone who knowingly profanes or desecrates the corpse or mortal 
remains of a human dead.

Article (366)  
1. A penalty of i ncarceration and a fine not less than (50,000) fifty thousand AED shall be 
imposed on whoever commits an act of magic and jugglery, whether it is true or by 
trickery, paid or free of charge , such  acts include:   
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 A. Committing acts, uttering words or using metho ds or means that are not logically 
accepted to affect a person's body, heart, mind or will, whether directly or indirectly, 
truly or illusionary.  
B. Misleading people's vision or controlling their senses or hearts, by any means, to 
make them see the thing con trary to its reality for the purpose of exploiting them or 
affecting their beliefs or minds.  
2. The court shall order the deportation of the foreigner convict.  
In all cases, the court shall order the confiscation of the things seized.

Article (367)  
A penalt y of incarceration and/or a fine shall be imposed on whoever:  
1. Seeks the help of another person in the acts of trickery, magic or jugglery stated in the 
preceding Article with the intention of affecting a third party's body, heart, mind or will.  
2. Brings or i mports to the State or acquires or possesses or disposes by any means of 
disposition of books, spells, materials or tools designated for the acts of trickery, magic or 
jugglery stated in the preceding Article.  
3. Promotes, by any means whatsoever, any of the acts of trickery, magic or jugglery stated 
in the preceding Article.

Article (368)  
Anyone who founds, establishes, organizes or administers an association, entity, 
organization or any subsidiary thereof, aiming to challenge or raise doubts in the basic 
principles and instructions of the Islamic Religion, any of its necessarily well -known 
mandates and precepts, or to preach any religion other than Islam, or to propagate any 
doctrine or idea which includes, recommends or promotes any of the foregoing, shall  be 
punished by temporary imprisonment for a period not less than (5) five years and not 
exceeding (10) ten years.  
  
  
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Article (369)  
Anyone who, while being fully aware of its objectives, joins, participates in or provide 
assistance of any kind to an associa tion or any of the other entities stated in the preceding 
Article, Shall be punished by temporary imprisonment for a period not exceeding (7) seven 
years.

Article (370)  
Anyone who challenges or raises doubts in the basic principles and instructions of th e 
Islamic Religion, or any of its necessarily well -known mandates and precepts, or who 
offends it or who preaches another religion or propagates any doctrine or idea which 
includes, recommends or promotes any of the foregoing shall be punished by temporary  
imprisonment for a period not exceeding (5) five years.

Article (371)  
It is prohibited to any group, entity or organization to hold any conference or meeting, in any 
place in the State, if they aim from such meeting, directly or indirectly, to challenge  or raise 
doubts in the basic principles and instructions of the Islamic Religion or any of its necessarily 
well -known mandates and precepts, or to preach any religion other than Islam.  
The Public Authority may to terminate such conference or meeting with the use of force, if 
necessary.  
Anyone who participates in the preparation of such conference or meeting, or who takes 
part therein, shall be punished with temporary imprisonment for a period not less than (5) 
five years and not exceeding (10) ten years.

Article (372)  
I any of the crimes stipulated in Articles (369) and (371) of this Law is committed with the 
use of force or threat, or if the use of force or threat is noticeable in committing them, the 
perpetrator shall be punished with temporary imprison ment for a period not less than (7) 
seven years.   
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Article (373)  
Anyone who acquires documents, printed materials or recording materials containing 
recommendation or promotion of anything from amongst those stipulated in article (371), 
and such documents, printed materials or recordings are prepared for distribution or to give 
other persons access thereto, shall be punished by incarceration for a period not less one 
year and/or a fine not less than (5,000) five thousand AED.  
The penalty stipulated in the pr eceding Paragraph shall be imposed on anyone who owns 
any means of printing, recording or publicity that have been used for printing, recording or 
broadcasting proclamations, songs or propaganda for a doctrine, association, entity or 
organization with aimi ng to any of the objectives stated in article (371).

Article (374)  
A penalty of incarceration for a period not less than one year and/or a fine not less than 
(5,000) five thousand AED shall be imposed on whoever obtains or receives funds, directly 
or ind irectly, from a person or an entity inside or outside the State if this is for the purpose of 
performing or promoting any of the acts stipulated in Articles (370) and (371) of this Law.

Article (375)  
The penalty for the attempt of the crimes stipulated i n this Chapter shall be within the 
minimum and maximum limits of the penalty prescribed for each of them.

Article (376)  
Without prejudice to the penalties stipulated in the preceding Articles, the court shall, in all 
cases stated in article (368), dissolve  said associations, entities, formations, or subsidiaries 
and close their premises.  
The court may order the closure of the places where the crimes stipulated in Articles (371) 
and (374) of this Law have been committed. The court shall also, in all cases in dicated in the 
preceding two paragraphs, order the confiscation of funds, effects and other things which 
may have been used or have been prepared to be used in committing the crime, or may be  
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 found in such places where the meetings of such associations, fo rmations, or subsidiaries 
are held.  
The court shall order the deportation of the foreigner after the penalty imposed thereon has 
been executed.

Article (377)  
Exemption from the penalty shall be granted to any perpetrator involved in any of the 
crimes sti pulated in article (362) and Articles (368) to (375) of this Law if he informs the 
judicial or administrative authorities of the crime before it is discovered. If such informing is 
made known after discovering the crime, the court may exempt him from the p enalty if it 
leads to the arrest of the remaining perpetrators.  
  
Section  Six 
Crimes Against the Family

Article (378)  
A penalty of temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who isolates a new -born 
from the person who has legitimate power over him, or who hides such new -born, replaces 
him with another new -born, or falsely imputes him to other than his parents.  
In the event where there is evidence that said new -born is born dead, the penalty shall be 
incarceration for a period not exceeding (2) two mo nths and/or a fine not exceeding 
(50,000) fifty thousand AED.

Article (379)  
A penalty of incarceration or a fine shall be imposed on anyone is in charge of a child and 
refrains from giving him up to the person who is entitled to claim him by virtue of a fi nal 
decision or judgment issued by the judicial authority.

Article (380 ) 
A penalty of incarceration or a fine shall be imposed on either of the parents or grandparents  
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 who abducts his minor child or his grandchild, personally or through an intermediary, even 
without deception or coercion, or refuses to return or deliver the minor child, to the person 
who is entitled to his custody or care in accordance with a final decision or judgment issued 
by the judicial authority.

Article (381 ) 
The criminal lawsuit  in Articles (379) and (380) of this Law shall expire if waiver or 
conciliation is concluded after the crime takes place and before deciding thereon by a final 
judgment. If this happens after the judgment becomes final, the execution thereof shall be 
staye d.

Article (382 ) 
A penalty of incarceration for a period not exceeding one year and/or a fine not exceeding 
(10,000) ten thousand AED shall be imposed on anyone against whom an enforceable 
judgment is issued, obligating him to pay alimony to his spouse, any of his relatives or legal 
dependents, or to pay the fee of custody, breastfeeding or residence but refrains from doing 
so, although he is capable of paying it, for a period of (3) three months after being warned to 
pay.  
The lawsuit may only be filed ba sed on a complaint from the concerned party.  
If convict pays all the sums due from him or provides a guaranty accepted by the concerned 
party, the penalty shall not be executed.  
  
Section  Seven  
Crimes Against Persons  
Chapter One  
Crimes Against the Life of Human Being and His Physical Integrity

Article (383)  
Without prejudice to the right to the entitle Diya, any person who commits any of the crimes  
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 stipulated in this Chapter shall be punished with the penalties stipulated therein, in the cases 
where the pun ishment of Qisas is forbidden.

Article (384)  
1. Whoever deliberately kills a person shall be punished with life imprisonment.  
2. The penalty shall be death if the murder is committed with premeditation or 
predetermination, accompanied by or associated with ano ther crime, or committed 
against any of the perpetrator's descendants or against a public servant or a person 
entrusted with a public service in the course of, due to or on the occasion of performing 
his duties or service, or if a poisonous or detonating s ubstance is used in the crime.  
3. The penalty shall be temporary imprisonment for a period not less than (7) seven years if 
the relatives waive their right to Qisas at any stage of the lawsuit or before the execution 
of the penalty.

Article (385 ) 
Predetermi nation is the intention determined against any person and the thorough 
preparation of the means of execution of the act before committing the crime.  
Premeditation is to lurking for a parson in one or several places, during a certain period of 
time, long or  short, in order to be able to murder said person or to attack him unexpectedly 
with the use of violence.