Abu Dhabi // Posting people’s pictures or videos online without their consent is a crime punishable by a fine and even up to six months in prison, the Ministry of Interior has warned.

Even the circulation of pictures and videos of traffic accident victims are considered a crime, the ministry said, according to The National’s Arabic-language sister paper, Al Ittihad.

Lt Col Salah Al Ghoul, head of the bureau for law respect at the Ministry, said that fines of up to Dh500,000 could also be imposed if someone’s privacy is infringed using an “information network”.

“Article 24 of the cybercrimes law stipulates that anyone who uses an information network to infringe upon someone else’s privacy shall be punished by a minimum prison sentence of six months and/or a fine of between Dh150,000 and Dh500,000,” said Lt Col Al Ghoul.

It is believed the warning is aimed primarily at young users of social networking sites.

newsdesk@thenational.ae