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British tourist arrested in Dubai for allegedly shooting down Iranian missiles over city
2026-03-12 19:02:05 / BOTA
A British tourist has been charged under Dubai's cybercrime laws after allegedly filming Iranian missiles over the city.
The tourist was detained under a law in the United Arab Emirates that prohibits the publication or distribution of materials that could threaten public safety, according to the organization Detained in Dubai, which provides legal assistance to individuals in the UAE.
British Foreign Office officials are reportedly supporting his family. Radha Stirling, who is the CEO of Detained in Dubai, said the London man was charged along with 20 others after police found a video of an Iranian missile attack on Dubai on his phone.
She told the BBC that the formal charges were “very vague”. “I’ve looked at the charge sheet and just reading it you wouldn’t understand what they did wrong,” Stirling said. “We’re seeing more and more people being charged under the UAE’s cybercrime rules.”
The executive director said the Briton's family had been able to speak to him after the ban. Stirling told the BBC she believed the UAE had banned people for filming the missiles because "they want to maintain the facade that it is safe for tourists." Criticism of the government is illegal in the UAE.
British human rights group Amnesty International said the UAE "continues to criminalize the right to expression through numerous laws and to punish actual or perceived critics of the government."
For years, Dubai has cultivated a reputation as an alluring and attractive destination for expatriates pursuing business and travel opportunities.
The conflict in the Middle East has entered its second week after the US and Israel launched wide-ranging attacks on Iran, killing the country's supreme leader on February 28. Iran has continued to respond by launching attacks on Israel and US-allied states in the Persian Gulf, which have expanded to non-military targets, including civilian sites and energy facilities.
Some of the UAE's most iconic buildings have been damaged, including the Fairmont The Palm hotel on the luxury Palm Jumeirah and the Burj Al Arab hotel. Flights across the Middle East have also been severely disrupted by the conflict.
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