Dubai Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ===Human rights=== {{Main|Human rights in Dubai}} [[File:Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (II).jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum (born 1985)|Latifa]], daughter of [[Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum|Dubai's ruler]], escaped Dubai in February 2018 but was captured in the Indian Ocean.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/dubai-princess-missing-latest-sheikha-latifa-escape-uae-detained-sheikh-mohammed-a8339976.html|title=Dubai princess: UN asked to intervene over ruler's daughter 'detained against her will' after failed escape from UAE|last=Alabaster|first=Olivia|date=7 May 2018|work=The Independent|access-date=3 August 2019|archive-date=29 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629160557/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/dubai-princess-missing-latest-sheikha-latifa-escape-uae-detained-sheikh-mohammed-a8339976.html|url-status=live}}</ref>]] Companies in Dubai have in the past been criticised for human rights violations against labourers.<ref>{{Cite journal |last = Davis |first = Mike |author-link = Mike Davis (scholar) |title = Fear and money in Dubai |journal = [[New Left Review]] |volume = II |issue = 41 |pages = 47–68 |date = September–October 2006 |url = http://newleftreview.org/II/41/mike-davis-fear-and-money-in-dubai |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160220034223/http://newleftreview.org/II/41/mike-davis-fear-and-money-in-dubai |archive-date = 20 February 2016 |df = dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="Propertywire.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.propertywire.com/news/middle-east/job-losses-property-decline-dubai-200812032193.html |title=Job losses hasten property decline in Dubai but medium-long term outlook upbeat |publisher=Propertywire.com |date=3 December 2008 |access-date=14 July 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090119123812/http://www.propertywire.com/news/middle-east/job-losses-property-decline-dubai-200812032193.html |archive-date=19 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = Mohammad Bin Rashid approves Dubai's budget for 2015|url = http://gulfnews.com/business/economy/mohammad-bin-rashid-approves-dubai-s-budget-for-2015-1.1435488|website = Gulf News| date=3 January 2015 |access-date = 25 May 2015|url-status=live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150512084427/http://gulfnews.com/business/economy/mohammad-bin-rashid-approves-dubai-s-budget-for-2015-1.1435488|archive-date = 12 May 2015|df = dmy-all}}</ref> Some of the 250,000 foreign labourers in the city have been alleged to live in conditions described by [[Human Rights Watch]] as "less than humane".<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.hrw.org/reports/2006/uae1106/|title=Human Rights Watch – Building Towers, Cheating Workers: Exploitation of Migrant Construction Workers in the United Arab Emirates|journal=Human Rights Watch |date=11 November 2006 |access-date=4 October 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006124105/http://www.hrw.org/reports/2006/uae1106/|archive-date=6 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.hrw.org/reports/2006/uae1106/uae1106web.pdf|author=Human Rights Watch|title=Building Towers, Cheating Workers: Exploitation of Migrant Construction Workers in the United Arab Emirates|edition=PDF|access-date=12 February 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305144614/https://www.hrw.org/reports/2006/uae1106/uae1106web.pdf|archive-date=5 March 2016}}</ref><ref name=hrw>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4861540.stm |work=BBC News |title=UAE to allow construction unions |date=30 March 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060423122628/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4861540.stm |archive-date=23 April 2006}}</ref><ref name="dubaifire">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6277613.stm |work=BBC News |title=Dubai fire investigation launched |date=19 January 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090929224627/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6277613.stm |archive-date=29 September 2009}}</ref> The mistreatment of foreign workers was a subject of the difficult-to-make documentary, ''Slaves in Dubai'' (2009).<ref name="Slaves in Dubai documentary">{{cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/video/the-slaves-of-dubai |title=Slaves in Dubai documentary |publisher=VICE |year=2009 |access-date=18 February 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141116012730/http://www.vice.com/video/the-slaves-of-dubai |archive-date=16 November 2014}}</ref> The Dubai government has denied labour injustices and stated that the watchdogs' (Human Rights Watch) accusations were "misguided". The filmmaker explained in interviews how it was necessary to go undercover to avoid discovery by the authorities, who impose high fines on reporters attempting to document human rights abuses, including the conditions of construction workers. Towards the end of March 2006, the government had announced steps to allow construction unions. UAE labour minister Ali al-Kaabi said: "Labourers will be allowed to form unions."<ref>{{cite news |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4861540.stm |access-date = 24 April 2006 |work = BBC News |title = UAE to allow construction unions |date = 30 March 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060423122628/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4861540.stm |archive-date = 23 April 2006 |df = dmy-all}}</ref> As of 2020, the federal public prosecution has clarified that "it is an offense when at least three public employees collectively leave work or one of the duties to achieve an unlawful purpose. Each employee will be punished with not less than 6 months in prison and not more than a year, as the imprisonment will be for leaving the job or duties that affect the health or the security of the people, or affect other public services of public benefit." Any act of spreading discord among employees will be punishable by imprisonment, and in all cases, foreigners will be deported.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/government/you-can-get-jailed-for-breaking-this-uae-work-law-video-warning-issued |access-date = 22 September 2020 |publisher = Khaleej Times |title = You can get jailed for breaking this UAE work law; video warning issued |date = 22 September 2020 |archive-date = 22 September 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200922191325/https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/government/you-can-get-jailed-for-breaking-this-uae-work-law-video-warning-issued |url-status = live}}</ref> [[LGBT rights in the United Arab Emirates|Homosexual acts]] are illegal under UAE law.<ref>{{cite news |title=Homosexuality can still mean the death penalty in many countries |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/same-sex-rights-across-the-world-4222149-Sep2018/ |work=[[TheJournal.ie]] |date=9 September 2018 |access-date=3 August 2019 |archive-date=3 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190803205755/https://www.thejournal.ie/same-sex-rights-across-the-world-4222149-Sep2018/ |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Freedom of speech]] in Dubai is limited, with both residents and citizens facing severe sanctions from the government for speaking out against the royal family or local laws and culture.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/uae-ambassador-threatens-further-sanctions-against-qatar-918691291|title=UAE ambassador: 'We do not promote idea of press freedom'|work=Middle East Eye|access-date=11 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180212005345/http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/uae-ambassador-threatens-further-sanctions-against-qatar-918691291|archive-date=12 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Some of the labourers lured by the higher pay available in Dubai are victims of human trafficking or forced labour while some women are even forced into the growing sex trade in Dubai, a centre of human trafficking and prostitution.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/dubai-in-united-arab-emirates-an-epicentre-of-human-trafficking-and-prostitution-20160115-gm6mdl.html|title=Dubai in United Arab Emirates a centre of human trafficking and prostitution|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=20 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160120212511/http://www.smh.com.au/world/dubai-in-united-arab-emirates-an-epicentre-of-human-trafficking-and-prostitution-20160115-gm6mdl.html|archive-date=20 January 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Defamation on social media is a punishable offence in Dubai with fines up to half a million dirhams and jail term for up to 2 years. In January 2020, three Sri Lankan expats were fined 500,000 [[United Arab Emirates dirham|dirhams]] (US$136,000) each for posting defamatory Islamophobic Facebook posts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/crime-and-courts/3-men-in-dubai-fined-dh500000-each-for-insulting-islam-online-/|title=3 men in Dubai fined Dh500,000 each for insulting Islam online|last=Nammour|first=Marie|date=20 January 2020|website=Khaleejtimes|access-date=8 Aug 2021|archive-date=9 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210809003538/https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/crime-and-courts/3-men-in-dubai-fined-dh500000-each-for-insulting-islam-online-/|url-status=live}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page