Dubai Police: Using VPN in United Arab Emirates is a Punishable Crime

Using VPN is a crime under UAE’s cyber laws – Anyone found using VPN can be charged for going against the country’s rules and regulations.

A high level Dubai Police official has made it clear that use of Virtual Private Networks (VPN) in United Arab Emirates (UAE) is strictly prohibited under country’s cyber laws.
It was UAE’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) who previously had warned users not to use VPN,  now the Dubai Police official has also made it clear if users found using VPN to access VoIP services and blocked sites, they will be punished under Law Number 9 against users of VPN.



While answering a question about how does the police track cybercriminals involved in bullying or other Internet related crime if they use VPN?, Mr. Al Hajri, Director at the Cyber Crime division of Dubai Police said: 

“Tampering with the Internet network is a crime. A suo moto action may not be initiated against anyone using a VPN service, additional charges can be filed against a person caught in an illegal act and when he or she is found to have used VPN as well. One we identify a suspect, he can be under constant surveillance, even if it means a three to four year ”

Be careful before posting anything on YouTube once you enter UAE: 

1 If you are living in UAE or visiting the country, be careful before posting any video on YouTube, make sure the video you are about to upload doesn’t involve third party without their permission or concern. 
2 Keep in mind the uploaded video doesn’t stalk or harass anyone.
3 Completely refrain from uploading videos of those accidents took place in UAE.
In July 2013, an Indian expat was jailed for recording and uploading a video on YouTube of a senior government official assaulting another Indian van driver after a minor accident.

Be careful before posting anything on Twitter once you enter UAE: 

UAE pays extra attention to Tweets, if you are found guilty of tweeting content that is abusive, blasphemous, helps terrorist groups, insults the country or the Royal family, you can be jailed for a long time. 

Be careful before posting anything on Facebook once you enter UAE: 

Like Twitter and YouTube, Facebook is also under constant surveillance in UAE and that’s not a secret, the TRA has said publicly they are monitoring every social media platform within the country.

Opinion: 

Personally, for now I am fine with surveilling social media considering security situation in the region, but not allowing usage of VPN is bit too much.