UAE Public Prosecution warns against misusing national currency

The UAE Public Prosecution has reaffirmed that misusing the national currency is a punishable crime and has called on the public to refrain from doing so.

The warning came after the department noticed video clips on social media depicting the use of the national currency in an abusive manner, with many reports about such videos received through the ‘My Safe Society’ app, reported news agency WAM.

“The national currency carries the name and emblem of the UAE, hence the moral value is greater than its material value, and any behaviour that is deemed an insult to the currency is a crime punishable by the UAE law,” the Public Prosecution said on Saturday.

UAE Public Prosecution calls on public not to misuse national currency

Public Prosecution calls on social media users to have a sense of responsibility towards what they publish online
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— النيابة العامة (@UAE_PP) June 13, 2020

It added as “unacceptable” actions including destroying the currency, ridiculing or insulting it, or using the notes for any other purposes other than what it was intended for.

The department also declared the fines and sentences that would result for those violating these laws.

It said that whoever, publicly and intentionally mutilates, destroys or tears up the currency, shall be punished by a fine, which shall be the greater of Dhs1,000 and ten times the value of the mutilated, destroyed or torn currency, according to Article 141 of Federal Law No. 14 of 2018 regarding the Central Bank and Organisation of Financial Institutions and Activities.

“The UAE laws and legislations have criminalised all practices and acts that violate public morals or underestimate the emblem of the state along with its national currency. According to Article 176 (bis) of the Penal Code Federal, anyone who insults, mocks, harms the reputation, prestige or stature of the state, its flag, its emblem, its symbols or any of its institutions shall be punished with a minimum period of 10 years and a maximum of 25 years and a fine of no less than Dhs500,000,” added the Public Prosecution.

It called on members of the public to “have a sense of responsibility” before deciding to publish videos depicting these acts on social media channels which is a crime citing article 29 of Federal Decree-Law No. (5) of 2012 on Combating Cybercrimes.

As per this article, whoever publishes information, news, statements or rumours on a website or any computer network or information technology means with a sarcastic intent or to damage the reputation, prestige or stature of the State or any of its institutions or its president, vice-president, any of the rulers of the Emirates, their crown princes, or the deputy rulers of the Emirates, the State flag, the national peace, its logo, national anthem or any of its symbols, shall be punished by temporary imprisonment and a fine not above Dhs1m.

In May, the Dubai Police arrested a young man who posted a video online of him sneezing and using a currency note to clean his nose. The police published an image of the arrested individual, besides initiating legal procedures against him.