Canadians in Middle East warned not to record or share war videos | CBC News

"Taking, sharing or possessing photos or videos of military activity or damage could lead to fines, imprisonment or deportation. This warning specifically applies to Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, where dozens of foreigners have already been arrested for sharing videos during the ongoing regional conflict."

"Under UAE cybercrime laws, not only can the person who makes the post be charged, but so can anyone who reposts or comments on it. A 60-year-old British man in Dubai deleted his video immediately when asked and had no intention of breaking the law, but is still facing charges that could lead to two years in prison, heavy fines and deportation."

"In times of regional tension, authorities can become hypersensitive, and innocent mistakes can quickly escalate into extremely serious and dangerous situations for foreigners. Foreigners can find themselves treated as national security suspects for what may seem like normal social media behaviour elsewhere, and could be detained in facilities known for human rights abuses and torture."

Global Affairs Canada has issued a warning to Canadians in the Middle East against taking, sharing, or possessing photos and videos of military activity or damage, citing potential fines, imprisonment, or deportation. The warning applies to Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. This follows dozens of arrests of foreigners in Gulf states for sharing videos during the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. Under UAE cybercrime laws, not only creators but also those reposting or commenting on such content face charges. A 60-year-old British man in Dubai faces up to two years in prison despite immediately deleting his video. Authorities in these regions treat such documentation as national security threats, and detained foreigners may face facilities with documented human rights abuses.

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