1.2046268-2929953475
The Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi. Image Credit: Reuters

Abu Dhabi: The Federal Supreme Court here upheld a three-year jail sentence and Dh500,000 fine for an Arab man who was found guilty of setting up and running social media accounts to publish rumours tarnishing the image of the UAE.

The man, 45, will be deported after serving his jail term.

The verdict was one of the four handed down by the Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi on Monday, throwing out challenges on four verdicts earlier given by lower courts.

Spying

In one case, the court — the highest judicial authority in the UAE — upheld a 10-year jail term for a 35-year-old Indian, who was found guilty of spying for a foreign country.

The Abu Dhabi Federal Appeals Court had earlier sentenced the man to 10 years in jail followed by deportation.

An employee at Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi, the defendant was convicted for sharing sensitive information about the movement of military ships in the port.

The court also ordered the confiscation of electronic equipment used by the defendant, such as a laptop, mobile phone and camera.

Terrorism case

In the third case, an Arab man, 25, had his three-year jail term followed by deportation upheld.

He was found guilty of attempting to join Al Nusra terrorist group in Syria and plotting with another man to bomb a hotel in a northern emirate.

The defendant was also convicted of communicating with members of Al Qaida and Daesh and promoting their terrorist ideology.

Telecom case

In the fourth case, a man from an Asian country, had his one-year jail term followed by deportation upheld.

He was found guilty of revealing confidential information of a telecom company to agents of a foreign country.