UAE orders arrest of 35 over alleged misleading war videos on social media

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have ordered the arrest of 35 people, including 19 Indian nationals, for allegedly sharing misleading or fabricated video content on social media related to the ongoing conflict involving Israel, the United States and Iran.

According to the state news agency Emirates News Agency (WAM), prosecutors have referred the suspects for expedited trial after investigators concluded that they had circulated manipulated or deceptive digital content about the war.

The latest list of accused individuals includes 25 people from several nationalities, among them 17 Indians. This case is separate from an earlier order issued on Saturday involving 10 suspects, including two Indians.

Officials said the arrests followed extensive monitoring of online platforms as part of efforts to counter the spread of misinformation and artificial content that authorities believe could undermine public order.

Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said investigations and electronic surveillance showed that the accused were divided into three groups based on the type of material they distributed.

The first group, made up of 10 individuals, is accused of sharing genuine video clips showing missiles passing through or being intercepted in the country’s airspace. Authorities said the individuals also filmed crowds observing such events and added commentary and sound effects that implied active attacks.

Officials quoted by WAM warned that such posts could trigger public panic and potentially reveal details about the country’s defence capabilities, which hostile actors might exploit.

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

A second group of seven people allegedly circulated fabricated videos generated using artificial intelligence or recycled footage from incidents outside the UAE while falsely claiming the scenes had taken place within the country.

Authorities told WAM that these clips often depicted explosions or missile strikes and were altered by adding national flags or specific dates to appear authentic. The group includes five Indians as well as one individual each from Nepal and Bangladesh.

The third group, consisting of six suspects, is accused of posting material praising a hostile state and its political and military leadership while portraying its military operations in the region as achievements.

Officials said such content amounted to propaganda that could harm the country’s national interests. Five members of this group are Indian nationals and one is Pakistani.

In addition, two other individuals, both Indians, are facing charges linked to similar offences.

Shamsi said recent events had been exploited by some individuals to spread misinformation intended to mislead the public and threaten national stability.

Under UAE law, the offences can carry a prison sentence of at least one year and fines of no less than 100,000 dirhams.

Separately, authorities in Iran have also reported a large number of arrests connected to the conflict. Iranian officials say around 500 people have been detained for allegedly sharing sensitive information with enemy forces.

Ahmadreza Radan said some suspects were accused of providing targeting information or filming locations of missile strikes and transmitting the material to adversaries.

Iranian media have also reported arrests across multiple regions of people accused of sharing details about military sites or gathering intelligence on sensitive infrastructure as the conflict continues to escalate.