A court in the United Arab Emirates has sentenced a man to three years in prison along with a hefty fine of approximately $1.36 million for posting a video on social media that advocates for child marriage in Morocco. The Federal Appeal Court of Abu Dhabi, through its State Security Chamber, mandated the removal of the offensive video, the closure of the defendant's social media accounts, and the confiscation of the mobile phone used in the incident, as reported by the official news agency WAM.
The United Arab Emirates Public Prosecutor's office disclosed that the individual underwent an expedited trial after investigations revealed that he disseminated a video falsely claiming that Moroccan legislation permits the marriage of underage girls. The findings indicated that the convict used language that could incite sedition, hatred, and social discrimination, which could potentially damage the fraternal relations between the Emirati and Moroccan peoples.
According to the investigation, the man made these shocking assertions in a video shared with friends and acquaintances during a tourist trip to Morocco, encouraging them to travel to the North African nation to marry girls aged 14 or younger. This video sparked a wave of controversy and outrage in Moroccan media and among human rights circles, as many deemed the statements as promoting child marriage and the exploitation of young girls.
The Emirati authorities have deemed such actions a severe violation of national laws and the established social values within the UAE.
As reported by swissinfo.ch.
