The head of a first prosecutor in Dubai, an expert in cyber crime, Counselor Khalid Ali Al Junaibi, confirmed that some people unwittingly republished rumors, because their promoters include them in messages containing religious supplications, so the recipient of the message reposts it through WhatsApp groups or any other method without Be aware that it contains a crime punishable by law, stressing the need to pay careful attention to the content before resubmitting or publishing it.
Al-Junaibi said, on the sidelines of an awareness-raising seminar on cybercrime, that the responsibility for posting any content on WhatsApp group groups rests with the owner of the message or who republished it, whether it is common, offensive, or any legally criminalized content, and it is not the responsibility of the group manager Or the group.
In detail, Al-Junaibi said that many people re-publish or send content through their accounts on social networks without checking it and making sure that it does not include misleading information or rumors, to contribute to causing confusion and disturbing peace or disturbing the security without intending, stressing that they bear legal consequences even if They were well-intentioned.
He added, “Every person must realize his responsibility, as there is no room in the law for the justification of the lack of intent, especially with regard to cybercrime, particularly in the exceptional circumstances that the country and the world are currently passing through.” Validated.
He pointed out that such a rumor harms the efforts of the state to restore life to normal, and that if everyone proves first of the integrity of the content through official channels, he will realize that this rumor is not true, and will not publish it, contributing to its early repression and not exposing himself to legal accountability.
He explained that there is a misconception that the group manager on WhatsApp bears criminal responsibility for what members publish, but this is not true. He was the publisher of the criminalized content himself.
It is mentioned that the Penal Code stipulates, in relation to crimes affecting the security and interests of the state, in its Article 198 bis, that it shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of no less than a year whoever deliberately broadcasts false or malicious news, statements or rumors, or broadcasts inflammatory propaganda, if it is a matter of This disturbs public security, causes terror among people, or harms the public interest.
Direct criminal involvement
The Anti-IT Crime Law interprets direct criminal participation, explaining that republishing a tweet, for example, for a criminal act is direct criminal participation, and that depends on the criminal intent and previous agreement, so whoever republishes a criminal tweet is a direct participant of the original actor, from The way of republishing, whether it is common, insulting, defamation, or contempt, the participant here commits a criminal act, after the original actor has finished, so he is punished in turn.
Al - Junaibi: The WhatsApp group manager is not responsible for member posts.