Abu Dhabi court jails Emirati man 3 years, fines Dh5m for underage marriage video

An Abu Dhabi court convicted a 50-year-old Emirati man for posting a social media video promoting child marriage in Morocco. He received three years in prison and a Dh5 million fine.

Abu Dhabi court sentences man over social media video promoting child marriage in Morocco

A 50-year-old Emirati man has been sentenced to three years in prison and fined Dh5 million by Abu Dhabi's Federal Court of Appeal, State Security Chamber, after he posted a social media video promoting the marriage of girls as young as 14 in Morocco, khaleejtimes.com reports.

The convict, identified as Saif Salem Saif Ali Al Muqbali, appeared in the video spreading false claims that Moroccan law permits marriages at that age. The court found his content harmful to fraternal relations between the Emirati and Moroccan peoples.

Charges and findings

The UAE Public Prosecution brought three main charges against Al Muqbali. First, he published online content containing false information and inflammatory propaganda promoting underage marriage in Morocco, while falsely asserting that Moroccan law allows it. The material was found to provoke public opinion and damage the relationship between the UAE and Morocco.

Second, Al Muqbali published content deemed offensive to Emirati society and Emirati men, portraying them negatively and violating societal standards and values. Third, he disseminated discriminatory and offensive speech that stirred discord, hatred, and social discrimination, while also insulting Moroccan women and implicating their names in material that violated the law and humanitarian values.

Investigations confirmed that Al Muqbali's rhetoric was capable of stirring sedition, hatred, and societal discrimination — constituting, according to prosecutors, a serious violation of UAE's societal values.

Expedited trial ordered by Attorney General

UAE Attorney General Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi ordered Al Muqbali to stand trial through expedited proceedings. The swift prosecution underlined the severity with which UAE authorities treated the case.

Full range of penalties imposed

Beyond the custodial sentence and financial penalty, the court ordered the removal of the offending video, the closure of Al Muqbali's social media accounts, and the confiscation of the phone used to post the content.

Moroccan law on minimum marriage age

In Morocco, where the majority of the population is Muslim, the minimum legal age of marriage is 18 for both men and women. Judges may grant exemptions in certain cases, but Al Muqbali's claims that the law broadly permits marriages of girls aged 14 were found to be false.

In December 2024, the Moroccan government presented draft reforms to the family code known as the "Moudawana," including provisions to grant women equal rights with men in child custody and guardianship following divorce. The reforms would also raise the minimum age for marriage exemptions to 17, according to Human Rights Watch.

Source: Google News UAE — Courts & Fraud