UAE public warned against illegally accessing government data

WAM

Anyone caught accessing government or confidential files online without proper authorisation will face imprisonment and up to AED 2 million in fines.

That's according to the Federal Public Prosecution, which posted an awareness video on their social media platforms to remind the public about the legal implications of such "criminal acts".

They said "accessing websites" to illegally gather "confidential information (relating to) financial, commercial or economical (issues)" are considered a "cybercrime under the UAE law".

According to Article 4 of the Federal Decree-Law No. 5 of 2012, the violators will face "temporary imprisonment and a fine not less than AED 250,000 and not in excess of AED 1,500,000".

The authority added that a "5-year jail term and a fine of not less than AED 500,000 and not in excess of AED 2 million" will be handed out "if the data or information (has been) deleted, omitted, deteriorated, destructed, disclosed, altered, copied, published or re-published".

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