
UAE: New Media Legislation Enforces Strict Penalties Across Media Activities
Khaleej Times, 3 July 2025: The UAE enforced a new media law designed to regulate media activities, establishing stringent penalties that escalate to fines as high as Dh1 million for violations such as disrespecting religious beliefs and operating without proper licensing.
The law imposes penalties up to Dh1,000,000 for insulting religious beliefs and up to Dh100,000 for any media content violating public morals or spreading destructive ideas. Further fines up to Dh150,000 apply to inciting crimes like murder, rape, or drug abuse.
Disrespecting the UAE’s ruling system, national symbols, or state institutions incurs fines between Dh50,000 and Dh500,000, and content undermining national unity or foreign relations leads to fines up to Dh250,000.
Operating without a licence incurs penalties ranging from Dh10,000 for first-time offences to Dh40,000 for repeat violations. Similar fines apply to expired licences and unapproved changes to licensing conditions.
First-time dissemination of false information attracts a fine of Dh5,000, doubling upon repetition. Organising events like book fairs without permits draws fines of Dh40,000, incrementally increased for repeated offences.
Finally, if a foreign correspondent works without a licence they will receive written warnings, and repeat offences will lead to fines starting at Dh10,000.
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