Iran war: UAE orders stern action against 19 Indians for 'misleading' posts

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• UAE detains 35 for sharing false war-related content online
• 19 Indians face fast-track trial over fake video charges
• Offences carry at least 1 year jail and AED 100,000 fine in UAE

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The United Arab Emirates has ordered the arrest of 35 individuals, including 19 Indians, for allegedly publishing misleading and fabricated video clips on social media amid the ongoing war between Israel-US and Iran, according to the country’s official news agency WAM.

The accused have been referred for an expedited trial after authorities said they were involved in spreading manipulated or misleading content related to the ongoing conflict.

According to WAM, the latest list includes 25 individuals of various nationalities. This includes 17 Indians.

This is separate from an earlier case involving 10 people, including two Indians, whose arrests were ordered on Saturday.

The action follows extensive monitoring of digital platforms by authorities to curb the spread of fabricated information and artificial content intended to incite public disorder and undermine stability.

“Investigations and electronic monitoring revealed that the defendants were divided into three groups that committed various acts. These included the publication of real clips related to current events, the fabrication of clips using AI, and the promotion of a state practising acts of military aggression while glorifying its leadership and military actions,” Attorney-General Dr Hamad Saif Al Shams said in a statement reported by WAM.

Investigations found that the accused were divided into three groups based on the nature of the content they circulated.

The first group, comprising 10 individuals, allegedly published authentic video clips showing the passage and interception of missiles in the country’s airspace or the resulting impact.

They also filmed gatherings of people watching these developments and added commentary and sound effects suggesting active attacks, which authorities said could incite public anxiety and panic.

Officials said such content could also expose the country’s defensive capabilities and allow hostile actors to push misleading narratives.

This group includes five Indians, one Pakistani, one Nepali, two Filipinos and one Egyptian.

A second group was accused of sharing fabricated visual content generated using artificial intelligence or recirculating footage of incidents from outside the UAE while falsely claiming they had occurred within the country.

According to authorities, the clips depicted scenes of explosions and missile strikes, often with national flags or specific dates added to make the claims appear credible.

This group consists of seven individuals, including five Indians and one each from Nepal and Bangladesh.

The third group, comprising six accused, allegedly circulated content praising a hostile state and its political and military leadership while portraying its military actions in the region as achievements.

Authorities said the posts promoted propaganda narratives harmful to national interests.

Five of the six accused in this group are Indians, while one is Pakistani.

In addition, two other individuals, both Indians, are also facing charges for similar offences, the statement said.

“Such events have been exploited to disseminate misinformation intended to deliberately mislead the public while undermining national security, order and stability,” Shams said.

Authorities said the offences are punishable under UAE law with imprisonment of at least one year and a minimum fine of AED 100,000.

Separately, authorities in Iran said around 500 people have been arrested for allegedly sharing information with enemies during the ongoing conflict.

Police chief Ahmadreza Radan said some cases involved individuals accused of providing target information or filming strike locations and sending them to adversaries.

Iranian media also reported arrests across several regions of people accused of sharing location details of military assets or collecting information on sensitive infrastructure as the conflict continues to escalate.