Federal Decree-Law No. (34) of 2021 On Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes (security and safety law)

Article (1) 
Definitions  
For applying the provisions of this Decree -Law, the following words and expressions shall 
denote the meaning ascribed thereto respectively, unless otherwise required by the context:  
 UAE  
 : The United Arab Emirates . 
 Government 
Entities  
 : Any federal or local government  entity, or any company or 
establishment in which any of these entities holds at least 25% 
of its capital.  
 Competent 
Authorities  
 : The federal or local authorities concerned with electronic and 
cyber security inside the UAE.  
 Information 
Technology 
(IT)  
 : All forms of technologies used for creating, processing, storing, 
exchanging and using electronic information systems (ISs), 
information programs, websites, information network, and any 
means of information technology equipm ent (ITE).  
 Cyber  : Everything relating to computer networks, the internet, and the  
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  3 
  various information program as well as all the services they 
perform.  
 Data or 
Information  
 : An organized or unorganized package of data, facts, concepts, 
instructions, views, or measurements taking the form of digits, 
characters, words, symbols, images, videos, signals, sounds, 
maps, or any other form, and which are interpreted, exchanged 
or processed by persons or computers, so that after being 
processed o r circulated, they produce what is called "the 
information".  
 Government 
Data and 
Information  
 : Electronic data or information pertaining or belonging to any of 
the government entities and are not made available to the 
public.  
 Personal Data 
and 
Information  
 : Information or data pertaining to natural persons whenever 
these information or data are relating to their private lives or 
personal identities, or whenever linking these information or 
data, whether directly or indirectly , would lead to revealing the 
person's identity.  
 Confidential 
Information 
and Data  
 : Any information or data that are not permitted to be accessed by 
or disclosed to Third Parties, without prior permission of the 
person who has the power to grant this p ermission.  
 Route Data  
 : The data of an information technology means produced by an 
information system to show the source of communication and 
its transmitter and receiver interfaces, time, date, size, and 
duration, and the type of the service.  
 Website  
 : A virtual space or domain on the information network that 
depends on smart software which enables its users to make 
available, exchange, or disseminate any content, whether text, 
audio, visual or data content. This includes social media  
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 website s, networks and platforms, personal pages and accounts, 
weblogs, e -services and etc.  
 Electronic 
Information 
System (IS)  
 : An information program or collection of information programs 
that are designed to process, manage or store electronic 
information that can execute the instructions or commands 
using the information technology equipment, including the 
applications and the like.  
 Information 
Technology 
Equipment 
(ITE)  
 : Any magnetic, optical or electrochemical electronic equipment 
or any other tool used for processing electronic data, or 
performing logical and mathematical processes or storage 
functions, including any tool that is connected or linked to it, 
directly or indirectly, and which enables this tool to store or 
communicate the ele ctronic information to others.  
 Electronic 
Account  
 : Any account created with an information network broker in 
order to use the services of this broker.  
 Content  
 : The electronic information, data, and services that provide value 
to its receivers in specific contexts.  
 Illegal 
Content  
 : The content whose subject constitutes one of the crimes 
punishable by law, or whose publication, circulation or 
recirculation inside the UAE would compromise the UAE's 
security, sovereignty or any of its  interests, the public health, or 
public peace assurance, or the friendly relations between the 
UAE and other countries, or would affect the results of elections 
of members of the Federal National Council (FNC) or of the 
Consultative Councils of the emirat es of UAE, or would incite 
hostility and hatred among different groups of persons, or 
would decrease the public's confidence in any of the 
government authorities' or entities' performance of any duty or 
task or exercise of any powers.   
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  False Data  
 : The rumors and data which are false or misleading, in whole or 
in part, whether by itself or within the context where they 
appear.  
 Electronic 
Robot (E -
robot)  
 : an electronic program that is created or modified for the 
purpose of running automated tasks efficiently and quickly.  
 Electronic 
Document (e -
document)  
 : An informational record or statement that is created, stored, 
extracted, copied, sent, communicated or received by electronic 
tool on a medium.  
 Hacking  
 : The unauthorized access, access in violation of the provisions of 
the license, or illegal access to or stay on an information system 
(IS), or a computer, or operating system (OS) of a device, 
machine, vehicle or information network and the like.  
 Leakage  
 : The deliberate disclos ure or revelation of information or data 
without the knowledge or authorization of the owner of the 
system. Such data may be classified as sensitive, private or 
confidential.  
 Interception  
 : Viewing, monitoring, or acquiring data or information for the 
purpose of eavesdropping, disrupting, storing, copying, 
recording, circumventing, or altering the content, or for 
misusing, rerouting or redirecting for illegal and unlawful 
reasons.  
 Cyberattacks  
 : Every deliberate and planned targeting of ISs, infrastructure, 
electronic networks, or ITE that reduces the capabilities and 
functions of any of them, whether for personal purposes or for 
the purposes of intercepting, intruding, hacking, leaking, or 
exposing data or information to ris ks, or for disrupting the 
operations and the like.   
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  Encryption  
 : Converting information or information systems or tools into a 
form that is unreadable or unidentifiable unless returned to 
their original form using a password or the encryption tool 
involv ed. 
 Electronic  
 : Everything relating to electromagnetic, optical, digital, 
automated or photogenic technologies or the like.  
 Electronic 
media  
 : Every physical medium used for storing and circulating 
electronic data and information, including compact discs (CDs), 
optical discs, electronic memory, or the like.  
 Digital 
Evidence  
 : Any electronic information having a probative force or value 
and is stored, transmitted, extracted or derived from computer 
sets, information networks and etc. It may  be gathered and 
analyzed using special technological devices or applications.  
 Information 
Network  
 : A connection between two or more information programs and 
information technology equipment that allow users to get 
access to and exchange information.  
 Internet 
Protocol (IP) 
Address  
 : A digital identifier assigned to each information technology 
equipment on the information network and is used for 
connection purposes.  
 Information 
Network 
Broker  
 : Every person providing any information network brokerage 
services including social networking services, search engines, 
collecting the contents transmitted through the information 
network, sharing videos ...etc.  
 Service 
Provider  
 : Every public or private natural or legal person p roviding users 
with IT -based access to the information network.  
 Financial, 
Commercial or 
Economic : Any establishment that acquires its financial, commercial or 
economic standing under the license granted to it by the 
competent authority i nside the UAE.   
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 Establishment  
 
 Child  
 : Every person under the age of eighteen calendar years.  
 Child 
Pornography  
 : Producing, displaying, disseminating, possessing or circulating a 
photo, movie, or a drawing through any means of 
communication, social networks, or any other means or tool that 
shows the child involved in a dishonorable situation in a sexual 
act or show whether real, fictional or simulated.  
 Electronic 
Advertisement  
 : Every advertisement through an electronic means that aims to 
promote the sale of a product or the provision of a service, 
directly or indirectly.  
 Misleading 
Advertisement  
 : Advertising any goods or a service based on the provision of 
deceptive information or omission of essential or basic 
information related to the goods or the service involved, and 
which would affect the consumer's decision and motivate them 
to seek to acquire it; so that the consumer would not have 
acquired the same had it not for that information.  
 Data or 
Information 
Processing  
 : Performing or carrying out a single process or a group of 
processes involving the data or information, whether such 
information and data are pertaining to natural or to legal 
persons. This includes collecting, receiving, recording, storing, 
modifying, transmitting, retr ieving and deleting that 
information.  
 User  
 : Every natural or legal person using or taking advantage of IT 
services in any form.  
 Writs of 
correction and 
removal of 
false data  : The notices issued by the competent authorities to one or more 
persons for correcting, removing or deleting illegal content, or to 
correct, remove or delete false information or data in the form 
or manner those authorities deem appropriate during the period  
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  stated in the notice.  
 Disable order  
 : The notices issued b y the competent authorities to an 
information network broker through which illegal content or 
false data is published. The broker is required under this notice 
to disable, in the form or manner deemed appropriate by these 
authorities, the users' access to the said content or data within 
the period stated in the notice.  
 Access 
Blocking 
Orders  
 : The orders issued by the competent authorities to the service 
provider inside the UAE in case of failure to perform the other 
instructions mentioned in this Decree -Law in order to take 
actions to disable users' access in the UAE to the website or 
electronic account.  
  
Section One  
Crimes and Penalties  
Chapter One  
Crimes Against Information Technology

Article (2) 
Hacking  
1. Whoever hacks a website, an electronic IS, an information network or a piece of ITE shall 
be punished with imprisonment and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 100,000) one 
hundred thousand dirhams or more than (AED 300,000) three hundred thousand 
dirhams.  
2. If the hacking results in dama ges, destruction, or interruption of work; or disruption of a 
website, an electronic IS, an information network or a piece of ITE, or cancellation, 
deletion, destruction, disclosure, damage, alteration, copying, dissemination, re -
dissemination, or acquirin g any data or information, or loss of confidentiality of data and 
information, the penalty shall be imprisonment for at least (6) six months and/ or a fine 
of not less than (AED 150,000) one hundred fifty thousand dirhams or more than (AED  
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 500,000) five hu ndred thousand dirhams.  
3. If the hacking is committed for acquiring data or information for illegal purposes, the 
penalty shall be imprisonment for at least one year and/ or a fine no less than (AED 
200,000) two hundred thousand dirhams or more than (AED 500 ,000) five hundred 
thousand dirhams.

Article (3) 
Hacking the Government Entities' Information Systems  
1. Whoever hacks a website, electronic IS, information network or a piece of ITE belonging 
to the government entities shall be punished with temporary imprisonment and a fine of 
not less than (AED 200,000) two hundred thousand dirhams or more than (AED 500,000) 
five hundred thousand dirhams.  
2. If the hacking results in damages, destruction, or interruption of work, or disruption of a 
website, ele ctronic IS, information network or a piece of ITE, or cancellation, deletion, 
destruction, disclosure, damage, alteration, copying, dissemination, or re -dissemination of 
any data or information or loss of their confidentiality, or if crime is committed as a result 
of a cyberattack, the penalty shall be imprisonment for at least (5) five years and a fine of 
not less than (AED 250,000) two hundred fifty thousand dirhams or more than (AED 
1,500,000) one million and five hundred thousand dirhams.  
3. If the hacking  is committed for acquiring data or information of the entities mentioned in 
Para. (1) of this Article, the penalty shall be temporary imprisonment for at least (7) seven 
years and a fine of not less than (AED 250,000) two hundred fifty thousand dirhams or  
more than (AED 1,500,000) one million and five hundred thousand dirhams.

Article (4) 
Causing Harm to Information Systems  
1. Whoever willfully causes harm, destruction, interruption or disruption of a website, 
electronic IS, information network or a piece of ITE, shall be punished with imprisonment 
for at least one year and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand 
dirhams or more than (AED 3,000,000) three million dirhams.   
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 2. If the harm is inflicted upon a banking, media, health o r scientific entity, if the harm is 
intended for achieving an illegal purpose, or if the crime is committed as a result of a 
cyberattack, the penalty shall be temporary imprisonment and a fine of not less than (AED 
500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams or  more than (AED 3,000,000) three million 
dirhams.

Article (5) 
Harm to Information System of Government Entity and Critical Facility  
Whoever willfully causes harm, destruction, interruption or disruption of a website, electronic 
IS, information network or a piece of ITE belonging to one of the government entities or critical 
facilities shall be punished with temporary imprisonment and a fine of not less than (AED 
500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams or more than (AED 3,000,000) three million 
dirhams.  
If the crime is committed as a result of a cyberattack, this shall be deemed an aggravating 
circumstance.

Article (6) 
Infringement of Personal Data and Information  
1. Whoever acquires, possesses, modifies, destroys, reveals, leaks, cancels, deletes, copies, 
disseminates, or re -disseminates any personal electronic data or information using the 
information technology or any ITE without permission shall be punished with 
imprisonment for at least (6) six months and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 20,000)  
twenty thousand dirhams or more than (AED 100,000) one hundred thousand dirhams.  
2. If the data or information aforementioned in Clause (1) of this Article are related to 
examinations, diagnosis, medication, healthcare, medical records, bank accounts, or e -
payment information and data, this shall be deemed an aggravating circumstance.  
3. Whoever receives, keeps, or stores the data and information referred to in Clauses (1) and 
(2) of this Article, or accepts to handle or use them despite knowledge of the illegal ity of 
acquiring them shall be punished with imprisonment and/ or a fine.  
  
  
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Article (7) 
Infringement of Government Data and Information  
1. Whoever acquires, possesses, modifies, destroys, reveals, leaks, cancels, deletes, copies, 
disseminates, or re-disseminates any government confidential data or information 
without permission shall be punished with temporary imprisonment for at least (7) seven 
years and a fine of not less than (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams or more 
than (AED 3,000,00 0) three million dirhams.  
2. If the acts stipulated in Clause (1) of this Article cause harms to the UAE, or results in loss 
of confidentiality of the operation of electronic systems and software pertaining to 
military and security facilities and concerning t he communication and transmission of 
confidential information, the penalty shall be temporary imprisonment for at least (10) 
ten years and a fine of not less than (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams or 
more than (AED 5,000,000) five million dirhams . 
3. Whoever receives, keeps, or stores the data and information referred to in Clause (1) of 
this Article, or accepts to deal with or use them despite knowledge of the illegality of 
acquiring them shall be punished with temporary imprisonment.

Article (8) 
Infringement of Data of Financial, Commercial or Economic Establishments  
Whoever acquires, possesses, modifies, destroys, reveals, leaks, cancels, deletes, alters, copies, 
disseminates, or re -disseminates any confidential data or information pertaining to any 
financial, commercial or economic establishment without permission using the information 
technology or any ITE shall be punished with temporary imprisonment for at least (5) five 
years and a fine of not less than (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dir hams or more than 
(AED 3,000,000) three million dirhams.

Article (9) 
Unauthorized Acquisition of Third Party's Codes and Ciphers  
1. Whoever acquires the PIN code, cipher, or password or the like pertaining to a website,  
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 information system, information netwo rk or ITE without permission or authorization of 
the person concerned shall be punished with imprisonment and/ or a fine of not less than 
(AED 50,000) fifty thousand dirhams or more than (AED 100,000) one hundred thousand 
dirhams.  
2. If the person who acquire s the PIN code, cipher, or password and the like without 
permission or authorization of the person concerned accesses or enables third parties to 
access the website, information system, information network or the ITE with the intent to 
commit a crime, he s hall be punished with imprisonment for at least (6) six months and/ 
or a fine of not less than (AED 300,000) three hundred thousand dirhams or more than 
(AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams.

Article (10)  
Circumventing the Information Network with the Intention of Committing a 
Crime  
Whoever circumvents an IP Address through the use of an IP address of others or any other 
means with the intention of committing or to preventing detection of a crime shall be 
punished with temporary imprisonment and/ or  a fine of not less than (AED 500,000) five 
hundred thousand dirhams or more than (AED 2,000,000) two million dirhams.

Article (11)  
Creating Fake Emails, Websites, and Electronic Accounts  
1. Whoever creates a fake website, an account or an email and attributes it falsely to any 
natural or legal person shall be punished with imprisonment and/ or a fine of not less than 
(AED 50,000) fifty thousand dirhams or more than (AED 200,000) two hundred thousand 
dirhams.  
2. If the offender uses or enables third part ies to use the fake account, email or website in a 
matter offensive to the person affected shall be punished with imprisonment for at least 
(2) two years.  
3. If the fake website, account or email is attributed to one of the government entities, the  
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  13 
 penalty sh all be imprisonment for not more than (5) five years and a fine of not less than 
(AED 200,000) or more than (AED 2,000,000) two million dirhams.

Article (12)  
Illegal Interception and Disclosure of Information  
1. Whoever obstructs or intercepts the access to an information network, website, or 
electronic IS or any electronic connection, information or data shall be punished with 
imprisonment and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 150,000) one hundred fifty thousand 
dirhams or more than (AED 500,000) five hund red thousand dirhams.  
2. If the offender discloses or leaks the information, data or purport of the communication 
obtained through the interception shall be punished with imprisonment for at least one 
year and fine of not more than (AED 1,000,000) one million  dirhams.  
3. If the interception involves the communication, information or data of one of the 
government entities, the penalty shall be temporary imprisonment.

Article (13)  
Collecting and Processing Personal Data and Information in Violation of the 
Legisla tion  
Whoever uses the information technology or ITE to collect, save, or process personal data and 
information of nationals and residents of the UAE in violation of the legislation in force in the 
UAE shall be punished with imprisonment and/ or a fine of n ot less than (AED 50,000) fifty 
thousand dirhams or more than (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams.

Article (14)  
Forging E -documents  
1. Whoever forges an e -document belonging to any of the federal or local government or the 
public federal or local authorities or entities shall be punished with temporary 
imprisonment and a fine of not less than (AED 150,000) one hundred fifty thousand 
dirhams or more than (AED 750,000) seven hundred fifty thousand dirhams.   
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  14 
 2. If the forging involves documents belo nging to entities other than those mentioned in 
Clause (1) of this Article, the penalty shall be imprisonment and/ or a fine of not less than 
(AED 100,000) one hundred thousand dirhams or more than (AED 300,000) three 
hundred thousand dirhams.  
3. The penalty prescribed for forgery crime shall be imposed on whoever knowingly uses the 
forged e -document.

Article (15)  
Hacking E -Payment Instruments  
Whoever forges, clones or copies any credit card, debit card, or any e -payment instrument, or 
captures its data or information using any of the ITE ISs shall be punished with imprisonment 
and/or a fine of not less than (AED 200,000) two hundred thousand dirhams, or more than 
(AED 2,000,000) two million dirhams.  
The same penalties shall be imposed on whoever:  
1. Makes or d esigns any ITE or software with the intention of facilitating any of the acts 
stipulated in Para. (I) of this Article . 
2. Uses without authorization any credit, electronic, or debit card or any other e -payment 
instrument, or any of its data or information wit h the intention of obtaining for himself of 
for third parties any funds or properties of others, or to utilize the services made available 
to third parties by these cards or instruments . 
3. Accepts using these forged, fake, or copied cards or e -payment instru ments or data seized 
or obtained illegally despite being aware of their illegality.

Article (16)  
Using Electronic Systems to Commit Crimes and to Conceal Evidence  
Whoever possesses, obtains, prepares, designs, produces, imports, makes available or uses 
any information program, ITE, passcodes or codes, or uses encryption with the intention of 
committing any of the crimes stipulated in this Decree -Law or concealing its evidence or 
traces, or preventing detection of the crime shall be punished with imp risonment for at least 
(2) two years and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 200,000) two hundred thousand dirhams  
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  15 
 or more than (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams.

Article (17)  
Crimes Committed by Administrator of Website or Electronic Account  
Whoever manages, creates or uses a website or account on an information network with the 
intent to commit or to facilitate the commission of a crime punishable by law shall be 
punished with imprisonment for at least one year and/ or a fine of not l ess than (AED 
300,000) three hundred thousand dirhams or more than (AED 500,000) five hundred 
thousand dirhams.

Article (18)  
Tampering with Digital Evidence  
Everyone responsible for managing a website or an account on an information network, an e -
mail, o r an IS and conceals or tampers with digital evidence pertaining to any of the crimes 
stipulated in this Decree -Law with the intent of impeding the work of the searching, 
investigations, and interrogations teams or other competent authorities shall be puni shed 
with imprisonment for at least (6) six months and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 200,000) 
two hundred thousand dirhams.

Article (19)  
Dissemination of Data or Information Not Compliant with Media Content 
Standards  
Everyone responsible for managing a website or an electronic account that has posted on any 
of it any content, data or information that does not comply with the media content standards 
issued by the authorities concerned shall be punished with imprisonment for not more than 
one year and/ o r a fine of not less than (AED 30,000) thirty thousand dirhams or more than 
(AED 300,000) three hundred thousand dirhams.  
  
  
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 Chapter Two  
Crimes Relating to Content and Spread of Rumors and False News  
Part One  
Content Crimes

Article (20)   
Inciting the Suspension of the Provisions of the Constitution and Laws  
Whoever creates, manages, or supervises a website or publishes information, programs or 
thoughts that include, aim to or instigate overthrowing the ruling regime change or seizure of 
power in the UA E, or to suspend the provisions of the Constitution or Laws in force in the UAE, 
or to protest against the basic principles of the UAE's regime using the information network 
or any ITE, shall be punished with life imprisonment.  
the same penalty shall be im posed on everyone who promotes, incites to, or facilitates any of 
the aforementioned acts.

Article (21)  
Advocacy and Promotion of Terrorist Groups  
1. Whoever creates, manages, or supervises a website or publishes information or data per-
taining to terrorist group(s), society, or organization or an illicit body via the information 
network or the ITE with the intention of facilitating communication with their leaders or 
members, attracting members, promoting or advocating their thoughts, financing the ir ac-
tivities, providing actual assistance to them, or disseminating the methods of manufactur-
ing incendiary devices, weapons, ammunition, explosives or dangerous materials or any 
other tools used in terrorist acts shall be punished with life imprisonment a fine of not less 
than (AED 2,000,000) two million dirhams and not exceeding (AED 4,000,000) five mil-
lion dirhams.  
2. Whoever downloads, re -broadcasts, or reposts the contents of any of the websites afore-
mentioned in paragraph (1) of this Article using any m eans whatsoever, or re -accesses 
these sites to view this content, or disseminates any content that incites hatred shall be 
punished with imprisonment for a period not exceeding (5) five years and a fine of not  
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  17 
 less than (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams and not exceeding (AED 
1,000,000) one million dirhams.  
3. The Court may – in cases other than recidivism – instead of imposing the penalties set 
out in paragraph (2) of this article, decide that the accused person be assigned to a coun-
seling house or be placed under electronic monitoring and be prohibited from using any 
of the ITE for the period of time to be determined by the court, provided that it is not longer 
than the maximum penalty prescribed.

Article (22)  
Dissemination of Information to Harm th e Interests of the UAE  
Whoever uses information network or ITE and provides to any organization, institution, body, 
person or entity any information, data, reports or documents that are not authorized to be 
published or circulated and would harm the intere sts of the UAE or its government agencies, 
or would harm its reputation, prestige or dignity, shall be punished with temporary 
imprisonment.

Article (23)  
Incitement to Harm the Security of the UAE and to Assault Judicial Officers  
Whoever creates, manages , or supervises a website or uses information on the information 
network or on the ITE with the intention of inciting actions, disseminating or broadcasting 
information, news, cartoons or any other images which would endanger the security of the 
UAE and it s higher interests, or would harm the public order, or incite assaulting the judicial 
officers or law enforcement officers shall be punished with temporary imprisonment and a 
fine of not more than (AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams.

Article (24)  
Promoting Sedition and Harming the National Unity  
Whoever uses of information network or any ITE to create, manage, or supervise a website or 
to disseminate information, programs or thoughts that include incitement, promotion or 
advocation of sedition, hat red, racism, or sectarianism in a manner which would harm the  
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  18 
 national unity, social peace, public order, public morals or would endanger the UAE's interests 
shall be punished with temporary imprisonment and a fine of not less than (AED 200,000) 
two hundre d thousand dirhams or more than (AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams.

Article (25)  
Mockery and Tainting the Reputation of the UAE and its Public Figures  
Whoever publishes information, news, data, visual images, visual or optical materials or 
rumors on a w ebsite, any information network or ITE with the intention of mocking or 
damaging the reputation, prestige, or dignity of the UAE, any of its authorities, institutions, 
any of its founding leaders, the UAE's flag, currency, peace, coat of arms, or national anthem, 
or any of its national public figures shall be punished with imprisonment for not more than 
(5) five years and a fine not exceeding (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams.

Article (26)  
Unauthorized Call for and Promotion of Demonstrations  
Whoever creates, manages, or supervises a website or uses information on the information 
network or the ITE in order to plan for, organize, promote, or call for demonstrations, marches, 
or similar acts without obtaining permit from the competent authority sh all be punished with 
imprisonment and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 200,000) two hundred thousand dirhams 
or more than (AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams.

Article (27)  
Incitement to Disobedience of the Legislation  
Whoever calls for or incites to disobedience of the legislation in force in the UAE through 
dissemination of information via the information network or any ITE shall be punished with 
imprisonment and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 100,000) one hundred thousand dirhams 
or more than (AED  500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams.  
   
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Article (28)  
Offending a Foreign Country  
Whoever disseminates information or data on the information network or any ITE which 
include offending of foreign countries shall be punished with imprisonment for at least  (6) six 
months and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 100,000) one hundred thousand dirhams or more 
than (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams.  
In respect of the crimes set out in this Article, the legal proceedings shall be instituted only by 
the Att orney General of the UAE.

Article (29)  
Trafficking in and Promotion of Firearms, Ammunition or Explosives  
Whoever creates, manages or supervises a website or publishes information on an 
information network or ITE with the intention of trafficking in or promoting firearms, 
ammunition or explosives in cases other than those authorized by law shall be punished with 
imprisonment for at least one year and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 500,000) five hundred 
thousand dirhams or more than (A ED 1,000,000) one million dirhams.

Article (30)  
Transfer, Possession, Use or Acquisition of Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs)  
Without prejudice to the provisions of the Anti -Money Laundering Law, whoever willfully 
commits any of the following acts through t he use of any information network, IS, or any ITE 
shall be punished with imprisonment for not more than (10) ten years and a fine of not less 
than (AED 100,000) one hundred thousand dirhams or more than (5,000,000) five million 
dirhams:  
1. Transferring, trans porting or depositing IFFs with the intention of concealing or disguising 
their illegal source . 
2. Concealing or disguising the truth, source, movement, rights associated with or ownership 
of the IFFs . 
3. Acquiring, possessing or using IFFs despite knowledge of the illegality of their source.   
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  20 
 The same penalties shall be imposed to whoever creates, manages, or supervises a website or 
disseminates information or data on the information network or ITE to facilitate or incite the 
commission of any of the acts aboveme ntioned in this Article.

Article (31)  
Trafficking in and Promotion of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic 
Substances  
Whoever creates, manages, or supervises a website or disseminates information or data on 
the information network or ITE for the purpose of trafficking in or promoting narcotic drugs 
and psychotropic substances and etc., or how they are used, or to facilitate trading in them in 
cases other than those authorized by law shall be punished with temporary imprisonment 
and/ or a fine of n ot less than (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams or more than 
(AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams.

Article (32)  
Creation and Management of a Website for Trafficking in Human Beings  
Whoever creates, manages, or supervises a website or disseminates information or data on 
the information network or using a piece of ITE with the intention of trafficking in human 
beings or organs or illegal trading in them shall be punished with temporary imprisonment 
and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 50 0,000) five hundred thousand dirhams or more than 
(AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams.

Article (33)  
Incitement to Immoral Acts and Prostitution  
Whoever incites or tempts third parties to commit prostitution or immoral acts, or assists 
him/her to do so th rough the use an information network or any ITE shall be punished with 
temporary imprisonment and a fine of not less than (AED 250,000) two hundred fifty 
thousand dirhams or more than (AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams.  
In the event that the victim is a c hild, the penalty shall be temporary imprisonment for at least  
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  21 
 (5) five years and a fine of not more than (AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams.

Article (34)  
Disseminating Obscene Materials And Violating the Public Morals  
Whoever creates, manages, or super vises a website, or broadcasts, transmits, disseminates, 
re-disseminates or displays through the information network any obscene materials and 
everything which would violate the public morals shall be punished with imprisonment and/ 
or and a fine of not le ss than (AED 250,000) two hundred fifty thousand dirhams or more than 
(AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams.  
The same penalty shall be imposed on everyone who produces, prepares, designs, transmits, 
or stores any obscene materials and everything whic h would violate the public morals 
through the use of the information network with the intention of making use of, distributing 
or displaying the same to third parties.  
If the subject of the obscene content is a child, or if the content is designed to seduc e children, 
the offender shall be punished with imprisonment for at least one year and/ or a fine of not 
more than (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams.

Article (35)  
Engaging Children in Creating Pornographic Materials  
1. Whoever incites, seduces, or  assists a child to broadcast, createor transmit obscene 
material using the information network or the ITE shall be punished with imprisonment 
for at least (2) two years and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 250,000) two hundred fifty 
thousand dirhams or mo re than (AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams.  
2. In the event that the subject of this obscene materials prepared or transmitted is this child, 
the penalty shall be temporary imprisonment and a fine not exceeding (AED 1,000,000) 
one million dirhams.  
3. The victim  child shall not be held criminally accountable for the acts he commits as a result 
of the incitement and seduction.  
   
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  22

Article (36)  
Possession of Child Pornographic Materials  
Whoever willfully possesses any child pornographic materials using the electronic IS, 
information network, website, or any ITE shall be punished with imprisonment for at least (6) 
six months and a fine of not less than (AED 150,000) one hundred fifty thousand dirhams or 
more than (AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams.

Article (37)  
Blasphemy and Condoning the Sin  
Whoever uses information network, any ITE, or a website to commit any of the following 
crimes shall be punished with imprisonment and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 250,000) 
two hundred fifty thousand dirhams or more than (AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams:  
1. Offending any of the Islamic sanctities or rituals . 
2. Offending any of the sanctities or rituals established in other religions whenever these 
sanctities and rituals are inviolable in accordance with the provisi ons of Islamic Sharia . 
3. Insulting one of the recognized monotheistic religions . 
4. Condoning, inciting to or promoting sins.  
If the crime involves an insult to the Divine Essence or to the Messengers and Prophets, or if 
it is in opposition to the Islamic relig ion, breaches the foundations and principles upon which 
Islam is based, violating or breaches the rituals and rulings of the Islamic religion which are 
known as necessity, or humiliates Islamic religion, preaches to another religion, advocates, 
recommends or promotes a doctrine or thought that involves any of the foregoing, the penalty 
shall be temporary imprisonment for not more than (7) seven years.

Article (38)  
Promotion of Gambling Activities  
Whoever creates, manages or supervises a website, or uses i nformation network to broadcast, 
transmit, disseminate, re -disseminate, or promote practicing of gambling activities in the 
cases other than the authorized shall be punished with imprisonment and/ or a fine of not  
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  23 
 less than (AED 250,000) two hundred fifty thousand dirhams or more than (AED500,000) five 
hundred thousand dirhams.

Article (39)  
Illicit Trafficking in Antiquities and Works of Art  
Whoever creates, manages or supervises a website or uses an information network or any ITE 
with the intention of trafficking in antiquities and works of art in cases other than those 
authorized by law shall be punished with imprisonment and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 
500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams or more than (AED 1,000,000) one million di rhams.

Article (40)  
Internet Fraud  
Whoever illegally seizes for himself or for third parties a movable asset, a benefit or a 
document or signs this document through the use of any of the fraud techniques, or through 
taking an alias or false impersonation  through the information network, IS or any ITE shall be 
punished with imprisonment for at least one year and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 
250,000) two hundred fifty thousand dirhams or more than (AED 1,000,000) one million 
dirhams.

Article (41)  
Unau thorized Fundraising  
Whoever calls for or promotes a contest or electronic currency, or creates or manages a 
fictitious portfolio or company with the intention of receiving or raising funds from the public 
for the purpose of investing, managing, employing or increasing these funds without a license 
from the authorities concerned shall be punished with imprisonment for not more than (5) 
five years and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 250,000) two hundred fifty thousand dirhams 
or more than (AED 1,000,000) on e million dirhams. The court shall order the refund of the 
illegally seized funds.  
   
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  24

Article (42)  
Cyberextortion and Cyber Threats  
1. Whoever uses an information network or any ITE to extort or threaten another person to 
force the latter to act or to refrain from acting shall be punished with imprisonment for 
not more than (2) two years and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 250,000) two hundred 
fifty thousand dirhams or more than (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams.  
2. In the event that the person is threa tened to commit a crime or to commit dishonorable 
acts, and this is accompanied by an explicit or implicit request to act or refrain from acting, 
the penalty shall be temporary imprisonment for not more than (10) ten years.

Article (43)  
Defamation and Sl ander  
Whoever uses an information network, ITE, or an information system and insults another or 
attributes a quality to him that would make that person subject to punishment or contempt 
by third parties shall be punished with imprisonment and/ or a fine of  not less than (AED 
250,000) two hundred fifty thousand dirhams or more than (AED 500,000) five hundred 
thousand dirhams.  
In the event that any of the offences abovementioned in Para. (I) of this Article is committed 
against a public official or a person e ntrusted with a public service during or because of 
performance of his work, that shall be deemed an aggravating circumstance of the crime.

Article (44)  
Revealing Secrets and Invasion of Privacy  
Whoever uses an information network, an IS, or any ITE with the intention of invading the 
privacy or sanctity of private or familial life of someone without his consent in cases other 
than those authorized by law through committing any of the following actions shall be 
punished with imprisonment for at least ( 6) six months and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 
150,000) one hundred fifty thousand dirhams or more than (AED 500,000) fiver hundred 
thousand dirhams:   
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  25 
 1. Eavesdropping, intercepting, recording, transmitting, broadcasting, or revealing 
conversations, commun ications or audio or visual materials . 
2. Taking photos of third parties in any public or private place, or preparing, transferring, 
disclosing, copying or keeping electronic photos . 
3. Publishing news, electronic photos, images, scenes, comments, data or inform ation, even 
if it is true and genuine, with intention of harming the person . 
4. Taking, transmitting, or publishing photos of the injured, the dead, or the victims of 
accidents or disasters without permission or consent of the parties concerned . 
5. Tracking, mon itoring, revealing, transmitting, disclosing, copying or keeping the 
geographic location data of third parties.  
Moreover, whoever uses an IS or ITE to modify or process any record, photo or scene with the 
intention of defaming or insulting another person s hall be punished with imprisonment for at 
least one year and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 250,000) two hundred fifty thousand 
dirhams or more than (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams.

Article (45)  
Disclosure of Confidential Information at Wor k 
Whoever discloses any confidential information obtained at or because of his work or by 
virtue of his job or profession using one of the ITE without being authorized to disclose it, or 
without permission from the person concerned to disclose or use the s ecret shall be punished 
with imprisonment for at least (6) six months and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 200,000) 
two hundred thousand dirhams or more than (AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams.  
If the offender uses said information to gain benefits for hi mself or for third parties, this shall 
be deemed an aggravating circumstance.  
  
 
 
 
  
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  26

Article (46)  
Calling for and Promoting the Collection of Donations Without a License  
Whoever creates, manages, or supervises a website or disseminates information on the 
information network or any ITE to call for or promote collection of donations without a 
licenses  approved by the competent authority or in violation of the conditions of t his licen ses 
shall be punished with imprisonment and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 200,000) two 
hundred thousand dirhams or more than (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams.

Article (47)  
Conducting Statistical Surveys or Questionnaires Without a License  
Whoever uses an information program, information network, or ITE to conduct statistical 
surveys or questionnaires without permit from the competent authority shall be punished 
with imprison ment and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 100,000) one hundred thousand 
dirhams or more than (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams.  
In the event that offender intends to affect or harm the interests of the UAE, the penalty shall 
be temporary imprison ment.

Article (48)  
Advertisements and Promotions Misleading the Consumers  
Whoever uses an information network, any ITE, or a website to commit any of the following 
acts shall be punished with imprisonment and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 20,000) twen ty 
thousand dirhams or more than (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams:  
1. Promote a good or service through a misleading advertisement or technique which 
include inaccurate data . 
2. Advertise, promote, mediate, or deal in any form or encourage dealing with a virtual or 
digital currency, a stored unit of value, or any payment unit that is not officially recognized 
in the UAE or without obtaining a license  from the competent authority.  
  
  
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  27

Article (49)  
Promoting Medical Products without license  
Whoever creates, manages, or supervises a website or publishes information on an 
information network or any ITE to promote or sell unlicensed medical products, or copies of 
licensed medical products shall be punished with imprisonment and/ or a fine.

Article (50)  
Unlawful Use of Communication Services or Broadcast Channels  
Whoever uses or helps third parties use communication services of audio or video broadcast 
channels unlawfully through the use of information network or any ITE shall be punished 
with imprisonment for at least one year and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 250,000) two 
hundred fifty thousand dirhams or more than (AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams.

Article (51)  
Cyberbeggi ng 
Whoever commits the crime of begging using any ITE through mendicity or any other form or 
means shall be punished with imprisonment for not more than (3) three months and/ or a 
fine of not less than (AED 10,000) ten thousand dirhams.  
The same penalty sh all be imposed on whoever uses any ITE to request assistance from 
federal or local government entities or one of their officials in an offensive manner or contrary 
to the truth.  
  
Part Two  
Crimes of Spreading Rumors and False News

Article (52)  
Spreading Rumors and False News  
1. Whoever uses the information network or any ITE to announce, disseminate, re -
disseminate, circulate, or recirculate false news or data, or false, tendentious, misleading 
or erroneous rumors or reports, or rumors or reports contrary to what has been  
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  28 
 announced officially, or broadcasts any provocative advertisements that would incite or 
provoke the public opinion, disturb the public peace, spread terror among people, or 
cause harm to the public interest, the national e conomy, the public order, or the public 
health shall be punished with imprisonment for at least one year and a fine of not less 
than (AED 100,000) one hundred thousand dirhams.  
2. If any of the acts abovementioned in Clause (1) of this Article results in inci tement and 
provocation of the public opinion against any of the UAE's authorities or entities, or is 
committed during epidemics, crises, emergencies or disasters, the penalty shall be 
imprisonment for at least (2) two years and a fine of not less than (AED  200,000) two 
hundred thousand dirhams.

Article (53)  
Making Available and Refraining from Removing Illegal Content  
Whoever uses a website or electronic account to commit any of the following acts shall be 
punished with a fine of not less than (AED 300,00 0) three hundred thousand dirhams or more 
than (AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams:  
1. Stores, makes available or publishes illegal content and does not remove it or prevent 
access to this content within the period specified in the orders issued to him as sti pulated 
in this Decree -Law . 
2. Refuses to comply, in whole or in part, with any of the orders issued to him and stipulated 
in this Decree -Law without an acceptable excuse.

Article (54)  
Creating or Modifying E -robots To Disseminate False Data inside The UAE  
Whoever creates or modifies an e -robot with the intention of disseminating, re -disseminating, 
or circulating false data or news inside the UAE, or enabling third parties to disseminate, re -
disseminate or circulate it shall be punished with imprisonment for  not more than (2) two 
years and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 100,000) one hundred thousand dirhams or more 
than (AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams. The punishment shall be augmented in the event 
that there are multiple offenders.   
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  29

Article (55)  
Obtaining a Gift in Return for Spreading Illegal Content or False Data  
Whoever requests, accepts or takes, directly or indirectly, or is promised of a materialistic of 
non -materialistic gift or benefit, whether inside or outside the UAE, in return for publ ishing or 
re-publishing illegal content or any of the false data in the UAE using any ITE shall be punished 
with temporary imprisonment and a fine of not more than (AED 2,000,000) two million 
dirhams. A judgment shall be made to forfeit the material gift o r benefit obtained by him. In 
the event that it is not possible to seize the same, a fine equal to the value of what has been 
requested, offered, or accepted shall be imposed.  
Whoever manages, or supervises, rents or purchases advertising space on an offen sive 
account or website shall be punished with the same penalty.  
The competent authorities may consider a website or an electronic account offensive if the 
authority verifies that it has repeatedly published false data or content in violation of the law.  
  
Chapter  Three  
Special Provisions Concerning the Penalties and Measures Forfeiture 
Penalty

Article (56)  
Without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties, in the event of being convicted, the 
devices, programs, or means used in committing any of t he crimes stipulated in this Decree -
Law, or the funds obtained from it shall be forfeited and the information or data shall be 
deleted.

Article (57)  
Penalty for Attempted Misdemeanor  
Attempted misdemeanors stipulated in this Decree -Law shall be subject t o half of the penalty 
prescribed for the committed crime . 
  
  
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  30

Article (58)  
The Penalty for the Person Responsible for De Facto Management of the 
Legal Person  
The person responsible for the actual management of the legal person shall be punished with 
the same penalties prescribed for the acts committed in violation of the provisions of this 
Decree -Law if it is proven that he was aware of them and that his failure to comply with of the 
duties imposed on him by that management has contributed to commission o f the crime. The 
legal person shall be jointly liable to pay the fines or compensations imposed if the violation 
was committed by one of its employees in the name and for the benefit of the legal person.

Article (59)  
Punitive Measures  
Upon rendering a judgment of conviction of any of the crimes stipulated in this Decree -Law, 
the court may decide to take any of the following measures:  
1. Order that the convict be placed under electronic supervision or monitoring, be deprived 
of using any informa tion network, IS, or ITE, or be placed in a treatment shelter or 
rehabilitation center for the duration the court deems appropriate . 
2. Close down the violating site completely or partially whenever this is technically feasible.  
3. Block the violating site completely or partially for the duration decided by the court.  
Whoever violates any of the measures awarded shall be punished with imprisonment for not 
more than one year or a fine of not more than (AED 5,000) five thousand dirhams, and the 
court may order  a prolongation of the measure for a period not exceeding half of the 
sentenced period and, in any case, not more than (3) three years. Otherwise, the court may 
replace it with any other measure from among the aforementioned measures.  
  
 
 
 
  
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  31

Article (60)  
Aggr avating Circumstances  
In implementation of the provisions of this Decree -Law, the following shall constitute 
aggravating circumstances:  
1. The offender commits any of the crimes stipulated in this Decree -Law during or due to the 
performance of his job . 
2. The of fender uses the information network, any IS, website, or ITE to commit any crime 
that is not provided for in this Decree -Law . 
3. The offender commits any of the crime stipulated in this Decree -Law for the account or 
interest of a foreign country, any hostile group, terrorist group or illegal organization.

Article (61)  
Exemption from Punishment  
1. At the request of the Attorney General, the court may reduce or exempt from the 
punishment if the offender provides the judicial or administrative authorities with 
information related to any of the crimes stipulated in this Decree -Law whenever this 
information leads to the detection of the crime and its offenders, or to proving their 
involvement, or the arrest of one of them.  
2. In respect of crimes aff ecting the security of the UAE, the Attorney General of the UAE 
alone may request the court before which the case is heard to apply the provisions of the 
preceding paragraph in cases other than those stipulated in the preceding paragraph if the 
request is related to the supreme interest of the UAE or any other national interest. If a 
judgment is rendered in the case, he may submit the request to the court that has rendered 
the judgement before or during its execution.

Article (62)  
Writs To Correct, Interr upt, Disable And Block Access  
In respect of the crimes stipulated in article (71) of this Decree -Law, the competent authorities 
may, either sua sponte or at the request of the Prosecutor -General, issue any of the writs  
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  32 
 stipulated in this Decree -Law if they  have verified the dissemination, re -dissemination, or 
circulation of illegal content or content containing false data.  
The writs provided for in this Decree -Law shall be issued by the competent authorities using 
the available methods including electronic methods.  
The writs shall be sent, according to their nature, to the person concerned or to whomever 
this person appoints or selects to receive them on his behalf.  
The procedures stipulated in this Article do not prejudice the authority of the Public 
Prosec ution to take any actions it deems appropriate regarding the criminal case in 
accordance with the law.

Article (63)  
Grievance and Appeal Against Orders  
Any person against whom any of the writs stipulated in this Decree -Law have been issued 
may file a grievance against them through filing of a grievance with the competent authorities 
within (3) three working days from the date on which he became aware of issuance of the 
writ, and the competent authority shall decide on the grievance within one week from  the 
date of filing it. Passage of this period without a response shall be deemed a rejection of the 
grievance.  
If the grievance is rejected, this person may file an appeal against the decision before the 
Federal Court located in the headquarters of the UA E's capital within one week from the date 
of the rejection or the passage of the period for deciding on the grievance.  
The appeal shall be filed by submitting a Statement accompanied by the evidence and 
documents to the case management department at the co urt before which the appeal is filed.  
The court shall consider the appeal in camera and shall decide on it within (7) seven days by 
making a decision either to revoke those writs in whole or in part, or to reject the appeal after 
hearing the litigants' requests, and its decision shall be final.  
  
  
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  33

Article (64)  
Cases of Non -Absence of Criminal Liability  
In implementation of the provisions of this Decree -Law, the following shall not be considered 
as grounds for absence of criminal liability:  
1. The  person is subject to a duty under any legislation, legal rule, contract or code of conduct 
that restricts or prevents him from complying with any part of the writs set forth in this 
Decree -Law.  
2. The person concerned or his representative submits a grievanc e or an appeal, as 
applicable, against these writs in accordance with the provisions of article (63) of this 
Decree -Law.  
  
Section Tw o 
Procedural and Final Provisions

Article (65)  
Probative Force of Evidence  
The evidence derived or extracted from electronic devices, equipment, media, or drives, 
information system, computer programs, or from any ITE shall have the same probative force 
of physical forensic evidence as a criminal evidence.

Article (66)  
Powers of the Attorney General  
1. In the cases where the criminal case lapses due to amicable settlement or compromise in 
accordance with the provisions of this Decree -Law, the Attorney General may order that 
the accused be placed under supervision or monitoring or be deprived of using any 
information network, IS. or any other ITE, or undergo a rehabilitation program for the 
duration he deems appropriate.  
2. 2. whenever there is an evidence that a website broadcasting from inside or outside the 
UAE has dis played any phrases, numbers, photos, films, or any advertising materials or 
etc. which constitute one of the crimes stipulated in article (71) of this Decree -Law, or  
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  34 
 constitutes a threat to the national security or endangers the security of the UAE or its 
national economy, the Attorney General may order the blocking of the website(s) subject 
of the broadcast whenever it is technically feasible, or may issue any of the orders 
stipulated in this Decree -Law.

Article (67)  
Amicable Settlement  
Either the court or the Public Prosecution, as the case may be, may accept amicable settlement 
with the person accused in the crimes stipulated in Articles (13), (19), (24), (25), (26), (27), 
(28), (47), (48), (49), (50), (51), (52) and (53) of this Decree -Law as follows:  
1. Amicable settlement may take place before the criminal case is referred to the court, 
against paying an amount that is not less than half the minimum fine or more than half 
the maximum fine prescribed for the crime.  
2. Amicable settlement may take place after  the criminal case is referred to the court but 
before a final judgment is rendered, against paying an amount that is not less than double 
the minimum fine prescribed or more than two -thirds of the maximum fine.  
3. Amicable settlement shall give rise to lapse  of the criminal case and shall not affect the 
rights of the victim of the crime, if necessary.

Article (68)  
Invoking Amicable Settlement with the Victim  
In the crimes stipulated in Articles (2) Clause (1), (6) Clause (1), (9) Clause (1), (11) Clause (1) , 
(42) Clause (1), (43), (44) and (45) of this Decree -Law, the accused may invoke the amicable 
settlement taking place with the victim or his representative either before the public 
prosecution or the court, as the case may be, irrespective of the status o f the criminal case but 
before the judgment becomes final. The same shall be made in accordance with provisions of 
penal reconciliation stipulated in the Criminal Procedure Code abovementioned.  
  
  
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  35

Article (69)  
Entry into Force  
Without prejudice to the provisions of the aforementioned Penal Code, the provisions of this 
Decree -Law shall apply to everyone who commits any of the crimes stipulated in this Decree -
Law outside the UAE in the following cases:  
1. If the crime involves an IS, an information network, a website, or ITE whether relating or 
belonging to one of the government entities . 
2. If the crime was prepared, planned, directed, supervised or financed inside the UAE . 
3. If the crime affects the security of the UAE whether at home or abroad, or affects any o f its 
interests, or harms any of its nationals or residents . 
4. If the offender is found in the UAE after the crime had been committed and was not 
extradited.

Article (70)  
 Judicial Officers  
The employees, upon whom the capacity of judicial officers is conf erred pursuant to a 
resolution by the Minister of Justice or the head of the local judicial entity, as applicable, may 
detect and detect the acts committed in violation of the provisions of this Decree -Law. The 
local authorities inside the Emirates shall p rovide these employees with necessary facilities to 
enable them to discharge their duties.

Article (71)  
Crimes against the security of the UAE  
The crimes mentioned in Articles (3), (5), (7), (11) Clause (3), (12) Clause (3), (13), (19), (20), 
(21), (22),  (23), (24), (25), (26), (27), (28), (47) Para (II), (52), (53) and (55) of this Decree -Law 
shall be classified as crimes against UAE's security . 
In addition, any crime stipulated in this Decree -Law shall be classified as a crime against the 
UAE's security if it is committed for the benefit or interest of a foreign country, terrorist group, 
gang, or illegal organization or entity.   
Federal Decree -Law of 202 1 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes  36

Article (72)  
Imposition of the More Severe Punishment  
Imposition of the penalties stipulated in this Decree -Law shall not prejudice any more severe 
penalty stipulated in the Penal Code or any other law .

Article (73)  
Repeals  
The Decree -Law No. (5) of 2012 on Combating Cybercrimes is hereby repealed. In addition, 
any provision shall also be repealed to the extent that they contradict or contravene with the 
provisions of this Decree -Law.

Article (74)  
Publication and Entry of the Decree -Law Into Force  
This Decree -Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall enter into force as of 02 
January, 2022A.D.  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan  
President of the United Arab Emirates  
 
Issued by us at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi:  
On: 13 Safar, 1443 A.H.  
Corresponding to: 20 September, 2021 A.D.