The UAE, grappling with continued attacks from Tehran, on Sunday ordered the arrest of 35 people, including 19 Indian nationals, for allegedly using AI to publish video clips containing misleading and fabricated content on social media amid heightened tensions in the region due to the Israel-US-Iran war.
The UAE state news agency WAM reported that the defendants had been referred to a speedy trial.
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The move comes as Iranian attacks continue to keep the UAE’s major cities, Dubai, Sharjah and the capital Abu Dhabi within potential target range.
Individuals of various nationalities have been charged with filming videos of incoming missiles and drones, including passes and interceptions, and distributing them online with commentary and sound effects, which authorities say caused panic and heightened public anxiety.
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The latest list includes 25 people of various nationalities, including 17 Indians, who have been booked in various sections. This is separate from an earlier incident involving 10 people, including two Indian nationals, who were named and ordered arrested on Saturday.
The action follows intensive monitoring of digital platforms to curb the spread of false information and artificial content aimed at inciting public disorder and undermining stability, according to a statement issued by Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi.
“The investigation and electronic surveillance revealed that the defendants were divided into three groups that engaged in various acts, including publishing real clips related to current events, fabricating clips using AI, and promoting acts of military aggression while glorifying national leadership and military actions,” the statement said.
The first group, made up of 10 defendants, allegedly published and distributed authentic video clips showing the passage and interception of missiles in the country’s airspace, or the resulting impact. They also filmed crowds of people watching the developments and added commentary and sound effects suggesting active aggression, which authorities say could fuel public anxiety and panic.
Officials said the footage exposed the country’s defense capabilities and risked allowing hostile accounts to push misleading narratives. The group includes five Indians, one Pakistani, one Nepali, two Filipinos and one Egyptian.
The second group shared fabricated visual content generated using AI and redistributed footage of incidents from outside the UAE, falsely claiming they occurred within the UAE. The clips depicted composite scenes of explosions and missile attacks, and often included national flags and specific dates to make the false claims seem believable.
The group consists of seven people, five from India and one each from Nepal and Bangladesh.
The third group, comprised of six suspects, allegedly published content praising hostile states and their political and military leadership and depicting regional military aggression as an accomplishment. Authorities claimed the posts glorified the state’s leaders and amplified propaganda rhetoric harmful to national interests.
Of the six defendants in this group, five are Indian and one is Pakistani.
Two other people, both Indian nationals, have also been charged with similar offenses, the statement added.
Earlier on Saturday, UAE state news agency WAM reported that prosecutors had begun questioning the 10 defendants and ordered their remand into custody.
Attorney General Shamsi said such conduct constitutes a crime punishable by at least one year in prison and a fine of at least 100,000 dirhams.
“Such incidents are being exploited to spread false information aimed at deliberately misleading the public, while undermining national security, order and stability,” it said.
Shamsi added that some of the defendants disseminated AI-generated footage that falsely suggested explosions, attacks on prominent landmarks, and large fires with smoke billowing across the UAE.
“These incidents included videos that exploited children’s emotions by falsely implying security threats. Other videos advocated the destruction of military facilities in the country or claimed that incidents in foreign countries were located within the UAE, with the aim of misleading public opinion and spreading fear,” he said.
