Dubai: One 34-year-old man has been penalised with six months in jail in Dubai for posting photos with his ex-girlfriend online and sharing that pictures with her husband. 

The Dubai Criminal court gave him a two-year prison sentence to an Asian ex-pat on allegations of publishing photos with his ex-girlfriend on her Facebook account and sending that indecent pictures to her husband and brother on their WhatsApp. 

However, the Court of Appeal commuted the sentence to six months but upheld the deportation order.

According to case details, the man had stolen the victim’s mobile phone when they visited a mall in Midriff.

The case came to light after a lady and her husband filed a police report stating that her mobile phone had been stolen by someone and her boyfriend was blackmailing her.

She told the police that her ex-boyfriend had stolen her phone when they both were together at a mall in Midriff. He then threatened her that he would post their photos on Facebook and share them with her husband if she ended their affair. 

As per a report, the husband stated that he was surprised to receive those photos from his wife’s mobile phone before he learnt that her mobile phone had been stolen, and that a person was blackmailing her.

The police arrested the accused following the report.

Blackmailing cases are increasing day by day in the country after knowing the fact that any person who blackmailed or threatened another person to make him perform or refrain from action by using an Information Network or an Information Technology Tool shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years and a fine not less than AED 250,000.

Blackmailing in any form is a crime under UAE law. Even perpetuating such activity is a crime under UAE law.

United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities on September 25 announced the imposition of a fine of a minimum of 2,50,000 Dirham (Rs 50,39,922) and two-year jail imprisonment for those who blackmail or threaten anyone online.