Three people arrested in Dubai for sharing pictures of a drone strike

Dubai’s Creek Harbour Tower was damaged during drone strikes (Picture: EPA)

Three residents who took a photo of a drone strike on their Dubai apartment building were detained by authorities and were demanded to show their phones.

Residents at Creek Harbour homes were victims of an Iranian drone strike, and quickly snapped photos of the damage to reassure their families they were safe.

Instead, they were detained by police, who requested to see the photos on their phones, according to Detained in Dubai.

The United Arab Emirates has been cracking down on those taking photos of the damage from Iranian strikes, to keep up the facade that the UAE is safe for tourists.

Authorities have said sharing ‘inaccurate and misleading information’, such as photos of missile damage, could ‘provoke public opinion and spread rumours.’

Governments in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are monitoring social media to delete images of missile and drone strikes.

The luxury apartment building suffered severe damage (Picture: AFP)

Dubai Police said: ‘Sharing rumours, false information, or any content that contradicts official announcements or that may cause public panic or threaten public safety, order, or health is prohibited.

‘Violators may face criminal penalties, including imprisonment and fines of no less than £41,000.’

They added: ‘It may seem like just a photo… But to some, it’s information. Do not photograph or share security or critical sites. Protecting them is a national responsibility that helps keep our community safe and secure.’

CEO of Detained in Dubai, Radha Stirling, said: ‘When people experience something as shocking as a drone strike hitting their building, their first instinct is to contact their families and let them know they are safe.

‘Criminalising that human response risks punishing victims rather than protecting them.’

The building was set alight during a drone strike (Picture: X)

The case has been made more concerning because the residents didn’t publicly post the images – rather, shared them with family.

‘Foreign residents often assume that sending a photo privately to family members is harmless,’ Radha added.

‘In the UAE, even a personal unshared photograph related to sensitive events can trigger a criminal investigation.’

Early today, an Iranian drone strike hit a fuel tank near Dubai Airport, grounding flights at the busy airport to a halt.

Dubai International is the busiest airport in the Middle East and the busiest in the world for international passenger traffic.

Last year, 95.2 million people passed through the hub, and numbers were predicted to approach 100 million in 2026.

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