Man on trial in Dubai for insulting Islam online

A man is on trial for trying to flee the UAE after allegedly insulting Islam on social media.

The 31-year-old Indian electric welder is accused of posting messages - insulting Islam and disrespecting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) - on Facebook on November 6, 2016, the Court of First Instance was told on Sunday.

Even though he deleted all the posts and details on his account shortly after, copies of the messages were obtained, translated and used as evidence by the Dubai public prosecution.   

The complaint was filed on November 7 at Al Rashidiyah police station.  

The accused was arrested two days later while trying to leave the country through Dubai International Airport. His mobile phone, allegedly used to post the messages, was seized.

He has been charged with disrespecting the Prophet (PBUH) online.

According to the General Directorate of Criminal Evidence, the defendant's Facebook account was accessed from his own mobile phone.

The last time he logged out was on November 7, according to initial investigations.

No hacking was suspected.

It was not yet clear whether his account was accessed by another party through another device.

The trial has been adjourned to March 21.  

mary@khaleejtimes.com

Marie Nammour

Originally from Lebanon, Marie has been covering the Dubai Courts and the Public Prosecution, immigration and labour issues often, and the Dubai International Film Festival. A graduate from the Holy Spirit university of Kaslik, Jounieh, a city to the north of Beirut, she worked as an in-house reporter of international affairs at a leading TV station back home and a legal translator for a renowned law college in the Lebanese capital. Speaks fluently four languages and is fond of travelling, psychology, learning more and grown by now a rich ‘criminal’ imagination…