New UAE law levies jail time, fines for mocking COVID regulations

Social media users who make fun of regulations to contain the coronavirus in the United Arab Emirates could face at least two years in jail and fines of $54,000, federal prosecutors said in a statement carried by the state-run WAM news agency. The punishment under the new law also covers sharing misleading information. The warning comes after “the recent circulation of photos and videos on social media… accompanied by comments and songs mocking the precautionary measures and calling on others to flout them,” according to the statement from the Federal Emergency Crisis and Disasters Prosecution. Cases of the coronavirus in the UAE have risen to record high numbers, leading to more stringent testing requirements.