Abu Dhabi police deny child kidnapping, detain sisters for posting ‘fake news’

Abu Dhabi police has denied social media reports that an Emirati girl was kidnapped by an African woman, and has detained two sisters for posting ‘fake news’ on social media.

The two women, both GCC nationals, posted a video on social media alleging that the child – who was crying in the hands of the woman – was abducted in the city of Al-Shamkha in Abu Dhabi.

However, an investigation by the police revealed that the African woman was the child’s nanny. She was taking the girl for a walk on the instructions of her mother.

After the video went viral, police summoned the two sisters, aged 33 and 26, and indicted them for filming “incorrect” information and publishing it on social media.

The sisters have been referred to the family prosecution of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department.

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A post shared by Abu Dhabi Police شرطة أبوظبي (@adpolicehq) on Oct 9, 2018 at 10:58pm PDT

Colonel Omran Ahmed Al Mazrouei, director of Criminal Investigations and Investigations Department in the criminal security sector, called on the public to be careful and warned against posting videos, pictures or news that “affects the security of the society and causes harm to the public”.

He stressed that the Abu Dhabi Police would prosecute anyone who is accused of “publishing false allegations”, and those who republish the news visa social media applications, explaining that they fall under the law of misuse of IT.

On receiving “fabricated” videos, people should report them to the competent departments and not circulate them, the police added.

The UAE has strict laws with regards to sharing information via social media platforms.

In July, a man was arrested in Dubai for posting a video online of a man crying at a Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) customer service desk.

The clip that circulated on social media showed the man with his head in his hands in tears after finding out a relative had accumulated Dhs20,000 ($5,445) in traffic fines.

Read more: Dubai man faces Dhs500,000 fine for filming crying RTA client

Also read: UAE court fines and jails Emirati for abusive Snapchat videos