Man detained in Dubai warns of ‘horrific fate’ for influencers posting about war | News World

Influencers whose posts in regards to the Iran conflict spoil Dubai’s rigorously cultivated image as a shelter face ‘a fate that might be horrific beyond imagining’, a British lawyer once detained there has warned.

Heavily posed videos of sun-drenched beaches, luxury hotels and high-end parties were replaced by jittery hand-held clips of smoke plumes billowing from skyscrapers when the fighting broke out.

But social media users were quick to identify when those posts suddenly stopped, and a brand new trend appeared to emerge.

Scores of influencers all began publishing posts praising the federal government using suspiciously similar language.

They start with words to the effect of ‘You reside in Dubai, aren’t you scared?’ before cutting to slow-motion footage of the country’s leader Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the caption: ‘No, because I do know who protects us.’

The cringe posts triggered accusations the social media stars were being paid to pump out propaganda as a part of a concerted PR campaign.

But David Haigh, a British lawyer once detained in Dubai, fears there’s a more sinister side to it.

Only this week a 60-year-old British man was arrested after allegedly filming Iranian missiles while on holiday within the Gulf.

It’s unknown whether the footage was shared on social media and he could still be released for gratis.

Nevertheless, if prosecutors resolve to pursue the case under the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) strict cybercrime laws he could resist two years in jail for a hefty fantastic.  

Writing within the Each day Mail, Mr Haigh said: ‘Absolutely no content could be posted that might damage the Dubai brand.

‘Which means no pictures of missile damage, no footage of interceptor missiles taking out drones, no audio of explosions, no panicked selfie videos recorded in cellars, bunkers or protected rooms.

‘Those that fail to obey the edict are checking out just what it means to upset the Emiratis. At the very least one person has been arrested for filming a missile strike.

‘They now face a fate that might be horrific beyond imagining.’

Mr Haigh, who claims he was sexually and physically abused during his detention there a decade ago, said ‘absolutely no content could be posted that might damage the Dubai brand’.

Even rescue staff have been jailed for posting photos of emergencies, he said, adding that ‘nobody is exempt’ from the constraints.

Authorities have reportedly warned the United Arab Emirate’s (UAE) online creator community that posts deemed harmful to ‘public order’ or ‘national unity’ could end in fines exceeding £50,000 – and even jail.

One influencer revealed she had taken down a video showing debris in flames outside her constructing because they ‘must be very careful about what they are saying’.

British content creator Ben Moss told the Mail: ‘I do feel completely protected here due to UAE air defences, however the laws can sometimes concern me so I all the time keep every little thing positive.

‘I’m way more frightened of being fined or jailed for posting the unsuitable content than I’m of the Iranian missiles and drones.’

Metro has contacted the Government of Dubai Media Centre for comment.

The clampdown just isn’t exclusive to the UAE.

In nearby Qatar, which has also been targeted in Iran’s bombardment of the region, greater than 300 people have been detained for ‘filming and circulating videos, spreading rumours and publishing misleading information’ related to the war.

And Kuwait’s government has banned the publication of anything related to the fighting, ABC News reports.

Get in contact with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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