DUBAI: The UAE Public Prosecution on Friday issued a warning to residents engaged in spreading religious discrimination, telling citizens that such acts can result in a hefty fine and imprisonment.
The United Arab Emirates has long been considered a melting pot where people from various countries — including from India and Pakistan — come to earn their bread and butter.
In such a diverse setting, Indian news channels have in recent weeks been finding means to invoke hatred and Islamophobia into the residents of the Gulf states against the Muslim majority residing in UAE.
According to a Gulf News opinion article, the UAE Public Prosecution has issued a warning against discrimination. The opinion-editorial also defined UAE’s Combating Discrimination and Hatred law.
“Any person, who commits any act of discrimination of any form by any means of expression or by any other means, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a period not less than five years, and by a fine not less than Dh500,000 and not exceeding Dh1 million or either one of these two penalties,” it outlined.
The op-ed highlighted that the vengeful propaganda has a huge impact on the public, especially coming from TV personalities. It called out ‘preachers of hate’ and war-mongering anchors from Zee News, Republic TV, India TV, ABP, Aaj Tak and Times Now.
“Now, in several parts of India, Muslim vendors are boycotted and banned from entering neighbourhoods. This hateful content on prime time reaches Gulf countries, including the UAE where these channels are widely available,” it read.
The article urged the UAE authorities that such content should not be allowed to influence the minds of people hailing from diverse ethno-religious backgrounds as it can tear the social fabric of the society.
It was also mentioned that the Indian embassies in the Emirates have also warned the citizens against social media misconduct, warning them about laws against discrimination.
The article emphasised that Gulf News has published articles where several workers were expelled after posting abusive, anti-religion content on social media.-Web Desk
