"Public safety concern"/ British tourist detained in Dubai for allegedly filming Iranian missiles

2026-03-12 16:14:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

"Public safety concern"/ British tourist detained in Dubai for

A British national has been charged under Dubai's cybercrime laws after allegedly filming Iranian missiles over the city.

The tourist was detained by authorities based on a law in the United Arab Emirates that prohibits the publication or sharing of materials that could threaten public safety, according to "Detained in Dubai," an organization that provides legal assistance to individuals in the United Arab Emirates.

Radha Stirling, executive director of Detained in Dubai, said the London man was charged along with 20 others after police found a video of an Iranian missile attack on Dubai on his phone. She told the BBC that the official charges were "very vague".

"I have reviewed the charge sheet and from reading it you will not understand what they did wrong. We are seeing more and more people being charged under the UAE's cybercrime rules ," she said.

Stirling added that the Briton's family had been able to speak to him after his detention. She added that she believed the UAE had detained people for filming the missiles because they wanted to maintain a safe facade for tourists. Criticism of the government is illegal in the UAE.

The UK-based human rights group Amnesty International said the UAE had continued to criminalise the right to freedom of expression through numerous laws and to punish actual or perceived critics of the government.

For years, Dubai has cultivated a reputation as a glamorous and attractive destination for expatriates seeking business opportunities and travel. The conflict across the Middle East has entered its second week after the US and Israel launched wide-ranging attacks on Iran, killing the country's supreme leader on February 28.

Iran has continued to respond by launching attacks on Israel and US-allied states in the Persian Gulf, which have extended to non-military targets, including civilian sites and energy facilities.

Some of the United Arab Emirates' most iconic buildings have been damaged - including the Fairmont The Palm hotel, on the luxury Palm Jumeirah, and the Burj Al Arab hotel. Flights across the Middle East have been severely disrupted by the conflict. /CNA