Five Qataris found guilty of insulting UAE royals

Hamad Al Hammadi was one of five Qataris convicted by the Federal Supreme Court of spreading news, data, information and pictures on Twitter and Instagram.

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ABU DHABI // A Qatari was jailed for 10 years and fined Dh1 million on Monday for posting insulting images of the Royal Family on social media.

Hamad Al Hammadi was one of five Qataris convicted by the Federal Supreme Court of spreading news, data, information and pictures on Twitter and Instagram.

The court found them guilty of attempting to ruin the reputation of the state by spreading insulting images of symbols of the country.

The other four men, who were tried in their absence, each received a life sentence and Dh1m fine.

Al Hammadi had denied the charges.

He said he was ordered to buy sim cards used in the smartphones to spread information as part of a military mission, and he had no knowledge of what they were to be used for.

The court ordered that Al Hammadi be deported after serving his sentence, and that all electronic devices used in the crimes to be confiscated.

aalkhoori@thenational.ae