This law aims to protect everyone in the UAE, via a solid legislative ground for the environment of tolerance, co-existence and acceptance. The law fights discrimination against individuals or groups based on religion, caste, doctrine, race, colour or ethnic origin.
The provisions of the decree are applied to the internet, telecommunication networks, electronic websites and in audio-visual materials among others, thereby protecting individuals, including artists and cultural professionals from discrimination in the digital environment.
The law criminalises any acts that stoke religious hatred and/or which insult religion through any form of expression, be it speech or the written word, criminalise any acts that stoke religious hatred and/or which insult religion through any form of expression, be it speech or the written word, books, pamphlets or via online media.
The law also includes provisions for punishing anyone for terming other religious groups or individuals as infidels, or unbelievers any acts that stoke religious hatred and/or which insult religion through any form of expression, be it speech or the written word, books, pamphlets or via online media.
Penalties for violation of the various provisions of the law include jail-terms of six months to over 10 years and fines from AED50,000 to AED2 million.