Country guide · Middle East
This guide is general information about the law in the United Arab Emirates (Covers UAE federal (onshore) law. Some free zones have their own data protection laws, and the federal data protection law does not apply to companies in those zones.), checked against the sources listed below on November 1, 2026. It is not legal advice. Laws change and every case is different: for advice on your situation, speak to a qualified lawyer in the United Arab Emirates.
01Defamation law in the United Arab Emirates
Where the law comes from
Defamation in the UAE is set out in written federal law. Articles 425 to 427 of the Crimes and Penalties Law cover libel (publicly attributing to someone an act that would expose them to punishment or contempt) and insult (attacking someone's honor or dignity without naming a specific act). Article 43 of the cybercrime law covers insult and defamation carried out through an information network or information technology.
Sources1Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021 (Crimes and Penalties Law), Arts. 425-4272Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes, Art. 43
Is defamation a crime?
Libel made through any means of publicity can lead to up to two years in prison or a fine of up to AED 20,000, and public insult to up to one year in prison or a fine of up to AED 20,000. Heavier penalties apply when the target is a public servant acting in that role, when family honor is attacked, or when the statement appears in a newspaper or printed material; lower penalties apply to statements made by phone, face to face or in a letter. Insulting or defaming someone online is punishable by prison and/or a fine of AED 250,000 to AED 500,000.
Sources1Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021, Arts. 425-4272Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021, Art. 43
Statute of limitations
Under the Criminal Procedures Law, a criminal case for insult and slander can only start on a complaint from the victim or the victim's representative. The complaint is not accepted more than three months after the victim learns of the offense and who committed it, unless another law says otherwise. A person directly harmed by a crime can also file a civil claim for compensation during the investigation or before the criminal court, but not for the first time on appeal; the deadline for a separate civil lawsuit is not covered here.
Source3Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022 (Criminal Procedures Law), Arts. 11, 23 and 27
Defenses and public figures
Proving that a statement is true is a defense only when it concerns a public servant or a person entrusted with a public service and relates to that job, and such proof is not allowed if more than five years have passed since the events. Statements made by parties in their oral or written defense before courts or investigators, within the limits of that defense, are not a crime. Neither is reporting wrongdoing in good faith to the judicial or administrative authorities.
02Online harassment, cyberstalking and doxxing in the United Arab Emirates
Cyberstalking
Using an information network to track, monitor, reveal or share someone's location data without their consent, with intent to invade their privacy, is a crime punishable by at least six months in prison and/or a fine of AED 150,000 to AED 500,000. Using the internet to threaten someone into doing or not doing something can lead to up to two years in prison and/or a fine of AED 250,000 to AED 500,000.
Source2Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021, Arts. 42 and 44(5)
Online harassment
Online extortion and threats are crimes under Article 42 of the cybercrime law. The penalty can reach ten years in prison when the threat is to commit a crime or dishonorable acts and comes with a demand. Insulting someone online is a separate crime under Article 43.
Doxxing
Publishing someone's news, photos, data or information online with intent to harm them is a crime, even if the information is true. Revealing or sharing a person's location data to invade their privacy is also a crime. Both carry at least six months in prison and/or a fine of AED 150,000 to AED 500,000.
Source2Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021, Art. 44(3) and (5)
Intimate images shared without consent
Taking photos of someone, or sharing, disclosing, copying or keeping electronic photos of them, without consent and with intent to invade their privacy through an information network is a crime. Editing a photo, recording or scene to defame or insult someone carries at least one year in prison and/or a fine of AED 250,000 to AED 500,000. Offline, the Crimes and Penalties Law also punishes photographing a person in a private place without consent.
Sources2Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021, Art. 441Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021, Art. 431
03Data protection and the right to have content removed
The federal Personal Data Protection Law lets people ask a controller to correct inaccurate data and, in some cases, to erase it, for example when the data is no longer needed, consent is withdrawn, or the processing breaks the law. A controller can refuse erasure in certain situations, such as when it would affect investigations or legal claims. The law does not apply to government entities or to free-zone companies covered by their own data protection laws.
Source4Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data, Arts. 2 and 15
04How to remove defamatory content in the United Arab Emirates
How to remove defamatory content in the United Arab Emirates
A lawsuit is one route, but it is slow, costly and public. Much harmful content can come down sooner through the platform’s own reporting process, a legal notice to the site owner or host, or a removal request to search engines. The right route depends on where the content lives and on the law that applies to it.
Media Removal reviews each case and recommends the fastest route that fits it. Removal always depends on each platform and, where relevant, the courts.
05Frequently asked questions about defamation in the United Arab Emirates
Is defamation a crime in the UAE?
Yes. Libel and insult are crimes under the Crimes and Penalties Law and can lead to prison or fines. Insult and defamation online fall under the cybercrime law, which provides for prison and/or fines of AED 250,000 to AED 500,000.
How long do you have to report defamation in the UAE?
Under the Criminal Procedures Law, a complaint for insult and slander is not accepted more than three months after the victim learns of the offense and who committed it, unless another law says otherwise. These cases cannot go ahead without the victim's complaint.
Is truth a defense to defamation in the UAE?
Only in limited cases. The law allows proof of truth when the statement concerns a public servant's job, and not if more than five years have passed since the events. Separately, the cybercrime law punishes publishing information online to harm someone, even if it is true.
Can I get compensation for defamation in the UAE?
A person directly harmed by a crime can file a civil claim for compensation during the investigation or before the criminal court hearing the case, but not for the first time on appeal. The criminal court can send the claim to a civil court if working out the amount would delay the criminal case.
Can I ask a company in the UAE to delete my personal data?
Under the federal data protection law, you can ask for your data to be erased in certain cases, such as when it is no longer needed or is being processed unlawfully, although some exceptions apply. Companies in free zones with their own data protection laws follow those rules instead.
06Defamation laws in nearby countries
07Sources
- Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021 (Crimes and Penalties Law), Arts. 425-427
- Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes, Art. 43
- Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022 (Criminal Procedures Law), Arts. 11, 23 and 27
- Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data, Arts. 2 and 15