Police in the UAE’s Abu Dhabi emirate announced on Friday that they have arrested more than 100 people for filming and posting misinformation during the ongoing Middle East war, as Gulf countries intensify crackdowns on content related to Iran’s attacks .
“Abu Dhabi Police announced the arrest of 109 individuals of various nationalities who filmed sites and incidents and circulated incorrect information via social media platforms during current events,” the police said in a statement on X, adding that some had shared “misleading information” .
The statement warned that “such actions are liable to incite public opinion and spread rumors among members of the community” .
The UAE attorney-general has ordered the arrests of 35 people so far for publishing misinformation, filming or publishing footage of incidents related to the war, or glorifying “a hostile state and its political and military leadership” .
Similar measures have been implemented across the Gulf region, as authorities move to control the narrative during the conflict .
In Qatar, authorities have arrested more than 300 people for sharing images and what they described as “misleading information” during the war .
Bahrain and Kuwait have also made similar moves, with Bahraini authorities previously arresting individuals for “filming and broadcasting clips about the effects of Iranian attacks and spreading false news” .
The crackdowns come as Gulf countries have borne the brunt of Iran’s attacks in response to the US-Israeli military campaign, which began on February 28 with strikes on Iranian targets . Since then, Iran has launched waves of missile and drone attacks targeting US assets, civilian infrastructure including landmarks, oil and gas facilities, airports, and residential areas across the Gulf .
