DUBAI // The security chief of a five-star hotel denied mocking Christianity after a Christmas party held at the hotel last year, Dubai Criminal Court heard on Sunday.
“I didn’t sir,” said Emirati defendant A A, 47, who reported the incident after a video clip of him allegedly insulting the religion appeared online.
Prosecutors said A A went to Bur Dubai police station on December 29 last year and reported the incident. He told officers he was defamed after a clip of him taken by a colleague was posted on Instagram.
Policeman M A, 24, said: “He told us that after the Christmas party was over, he was just having fun and stood behind the microphone saying, ‘Merry Christmas and wishing you the best,’ before he said, ‘To hell, and evil is such a destination’. He then pointed at his private parts in a gesture of degradation.”
The Emirati was charged with blasphemy and committing a publicly indecent act. He denied both charges.
In addition, Egyptian F A, 37, denied breaching A A’s privacy by making the video and sending it to his friend via WhatsApp.
A W, 44, from Sudan, denied then forwarding the clip to friends, after which it spread online. F A and A W were both charged with committing an act that insults a religion using information technology. They denied the charges. A criminal laboratory report said clips and conversations related to the incident were found on F A and A W’s phones.
The next hearing will be on March 27.salamir@thenational.ae
