UAE: GCC nationals sentenced

Four Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) nationals were sentenced to life in jail, and one to ten years, by the Federal Supreme Court, after being found guilty of disseminating information “with an intent to ridicule and damage the reputation and prestige of the state symbols”, UAE state news agency Wam said on 18 May. Wam said the five had been accused of spreading data, rumours and pictures on Twitter and other websites; as well as prison sentences, they were given a Dh1m ($0.27m) fine.