UAE court jails man for 10 years for espionage

The Federal Supreme Court yesterday sentenced an Asian man (M.E.B.) to 10 years in jail and imposed a fine of Dh500,000 on him for contacting a foreign country and providing it with information about his place of work that could harm the national interests of the UAE. Judge Mohammed Al Jarrah ruled that the convict will be deported after he serves his jail term. Daesh secret cell In the case of Daesh secret cell, the court also issued a death penalty in absentia against an Arab prime defendant (Z.Y.A.) for counts including joining the Daesh terrorist organisation. The second defendant (M.R.T.) received a 10-year jail sentence while a 17-year-old third defendant (M.A.N.) would stay behind bars for two years for establishing contact with Daesh. The court also acquitted two other defendants of charges of joining an illegal secret organisation that was disbanded by virtue of the State Security Criminal Court's ruling in case No. 79/2012. The organisation was banned for calling for opposition to the basic principles of the UAE ruling system with the aim of seizing power. In another case, the court heard charges presented by the Public Prosecution against an Asian defendant (M.T.A) for contacting a foreign country and providing information about his employer that could cause harm to the UAE's national interests. The Public Prosecutor demanded punishment to the defendant according to certain criminal articles of the Federal Penal Code. The case was adjourned to December 28 on the request of the defence lawyer to hear the prosecution's witnesses.