UAE Criminal LawFederal Law by Decree No (34) of 2023 Concerning Combating Discrimination, Hatred and Extremism

Article (1) In applying the provisions of this Decree by Law, the following words and expressions shall have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context otherwise requires: State : The United Arab Emirates (UAE). Religions : The Heavenly Religions, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Houses of Worship : Mosques, Churches and Temples. Blasphemy : Every act that would insult Divine Essence, religions, prophets, messengers, divine books, or Houses of Worship in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by Law. Discrimination : Any distinction, restriction, exclusion or preference between individuals or groups on the basis of religion, creed, sect, sect, race, colour, ethnic origin, gender or sex, taking into account the laws in

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Federal Law by Decree of 2023 Concerning Combating Discrimination, Hatred and Extremism 2 force in the State. Hate Speech : Any statement or action that might incite discord, strife, or discrimination between individuals or groups. Extremism : Any action carried out by one or more people or groups motivated by ideas, ideologies, values, or principles that would disrupt public order, or would express blasphemy, discriminate, or incite hate speech. Means : Information network, communications networks, websites, industrial materials, information technology means, or any means of reading, audio, or visual. Methods of Expression : Speaking, writing, drawing, pointing, photographing, singing, acting, or gesturing.

Article (4) 1. Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be deemed to have committed the crime of blasphemy: 2. Slander, challenge, or insult the Divine Essence.

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Federal Law by Decree of 2023 Concerning Combating Discrimination, Hatred and Extremism 3 3. Insult, defame, slander, mock or curse any of the religions or any of their rituals or sanctities, or disrupting the holding of licensed religious rituals or celebrations or disrupting them with violence or threats. 4. Infringe on any of the divine books by distort, destroy, desecrate, or insult in any way. 5. Insult, mock, defame, or curse one of the prophets, messengers, their wives, family, or companions. 6. Destroy, damage, abuse houses of worship, cemeteries, graves or their annexes or any of their contents.

Article (5) 1. Anyone who commits one of the acts stipulated in Clauses (2, 3, and 5) of Article (4) of this Decree by Law, by any means of expression or other forms or by using any means, shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of not less than one year and a fine of not less than (AED 250,000) two hundred and fifty thousand UAE Dirhams and not exceeding (AED 1,000,000) one million UAE Dirhams, or by one of these two penalties. 2. Anyone who commits one of the acts stipulated in Clauses (1 and 4) of Article (4) of this Decree by Law, by any means of expression or other forms or by using any means shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of not less than (2) two years and a fine of not less than (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand UAE Dirhams and not more than (AED 2,000,000) two million UAE Dirhams.

Article (12) 1. Anyone who obtains or possesses documents, publications, recordings, films, tapes, or CDs or computer programmes, smart applications, data in the electronic field, any industrial materials, or any other things that include a method of expression if they are prepared for distribution or information to others, with the intention of contempt of religions, discrimination, or inciting hate speech shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of not less than one year and a fine of not less than (AED 50,000) fifty thousand UAE Dirhams and not exceeding (AED 200,000) two hundred thousand UAE Dirhams, or one of these two penalties. 2. Anyone who obtains or possesses any special means of printing, recording, preserving, broadcasting, viewing, publishing, broadcasting or promoting for use in committing any of the crimes stipulated in this Decree by Law with his knowledge shall be punished with the same penalty.

Article (18) 1. The risk of extremism exists in a person who commits any of the crimes stipulated in this Decree by Law if he adopts extremist ideology such that he fears that he will commit another crime of the crimes stipulated in this Decree by Law. 2. If the person has the risk of extremism stipulated in Clause (1) of this Article, he may be placed in one of the Counselling Centres, by ruling from the Court and upon a request from the Public Prosecution Office. 3. The Counselling Centre shall submit to the Public Prosecution Office a periodic report every (3) three months about the deposited person. The Public Prosecution Office shall submit these reports to the Court along with its opinion. The Court shall order the release of the deposited person if it becomes clear to it that his condition allows that.

Article (19) 1. The Court, upon a request from the Public Prosecution Office, may order that anyone who has the risk of extremism stipulated in Article (18) of this Decree by Law be subjected, for a period determined by the Court, to one or more of the following measures: a. Travel ban. b. Surveillance. c. Prohibition of residing in a specific place or area. d. Determination of residence in a particular place. e. Prohibition of visiting certain places or locations. f. Prevention of contact with a specific person or persons.

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Federal Law by Decree of 2023 Concerning Combating Discrimination, Hatred and Extremism 8 2. The Public Prosecution Office shall supervise the implementation of the measures. It shall submit to the Court that ordered it reports on the behaviour of the person subject to the measure in periodic periods, none of which may exceed (3) three months. 3. The Court may order to terminate the measure, amend it, or reduce its duration based on a request from the Public Prosecution or the person subject to the measure. If the request of the person subject to the measure is rejected, he may not submit a new request until three (3) months have passed from the date of its rejection. 4. The person subject to the measure shall be punished with imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year if he violates the measure ordered by the Court.

Article (20) 1. The Cabinet, based on the proposal of the Chief of the Presidential Office, may issue a decision that includes the creation of a list or lists in which extremist organisations or persons are included, defined in accordance with the provisions of this Decree by Law. Such list poses a danger to the State or which the State is internationally obligated to include on these lists. 2. The Cabinet Resolution establishing the lists determines the rules for inclusion in them, deletion from them, and re-listing in them, and the legal effects arising from all of that, and specifies the entity or entities responsible for this and the methods and rules for appeal against its decisions. 3. Anyone whose name is included in the extremist lists may file appeal against the listing decision. If the appeal is rejected or not responded to within (60) sixty days from the date of its submission, the Complainant may appeal the listing decision before the Competent Court within (60) sixty days from the date of knowledge by rejecting the appeal or missing the deadline to respond to it. 4. The decision shall specify the methods and rules for reviewing extremist lists, provided that the review takes place at periodic intervals, none of which exceeds one year.

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Federal Law by Decree of 2023 Concerning Combating Discrimination, Hatred and Extremism 9

Article (23) 1. Without prejudice to the text of Clause (2) of this Article, the Courts of each Emirate shall adjudicate the crimes stipulated in this Decree by Law in accordance with the rules of jurisdiction. 2. The Federal Courts in the State capital shall be solely responsible for the following: a. Adjudicate the crimes stipulated in this Decree by Law if they are committed by a listed person or group or previously included on extremist lists, or if one of these crimes is committed as a result of extremism.

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Federal Law by Decree of 2023 Concerning Combating Discrimination, Hatred and Extremism 10 b. Adjudicate one of the measures stipulated in Articles (18) and (19) of this Decree by Law when there is a danger resulting from extremism. 3. The Federal Public Prosecution shall be responsible for procedures related to the measures stipulated in Clause (2/B) of this Article. The Competent Public Prosecution shall refer it to it when there is evidence of the danger resulting from extremism. Section Four Final Provisions