Up to Dhs1m fine for destroying documents

ABU DHABI: The UAE Public Prosecution (PP), on Monday, clarified through a video published on its social media accounts about the penalty for intentional destruction of public, historical, national and private documents stated in Federal Law No. 7 of 2008 concerning the National Library and Archives.

The UAE PP explained that pursuant to Article 25, whoever intentionally destroys a public, historical, national and private document, shall be sentenced to detention for a minimum term of eight months, and a fine of no less than Dhs40,000 and no more than Dhs100,000, or either of these two penalties.

The prosecution also said that whoever destructs, smuggles outside the country, copies or discloses the content of a confidential document without the necessary permission to do so, shall be sentenced to a detention for a minimum terms of one year and a fine of no less than Dhs50,000 and no more than Dhs1,000,000, or either of these two penalties.

The same penalty stated in the paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article, and depending on the classification of the document, shall apply to whoever steals a document or obstructs those in charge of implementation of this Law to access thereto.

The infliction of the penalties provided for in this law, shall be without prejudice to any severer penalty provided for in another law, the prosecution added.

This comes as part of the UAE Public Prosecution’s continuous efforts to promote the legal awareness among members of the community and to enhance their knowledge about the latest legislation in the country.