A 41-year-old Indian man has been charged in Dubai for insulting Islam on a social networking site after watching disturbing footage from Iraq.

Prosecutors said, the Indian, identified with initials SG insulted Islam last year July in a Facebook post.

The defendant reportedly admitted during investigation to having posted the slurs on his social media account after he watched a video clip about the escalating violence in Iraq as ISIS swept through the country.

The incident was reported at Al Rafaa police station by a 24-year-old Indian vendor. The complainant said he received a message on WhatsApp on July 6 last year, Khaleej Times reported.

The defendant reportedly admitted he used his smartphone when he made the insults.

The public prosecution said in their remarks that the defendant’s smartphone was seized and sent to the Criminal Lab. The accused’s conversations showed that there was indeed an insult, the prosecution said.

Judge Ezzat Mansour adjourned the case until next month.

If convicted, the defendant could face up to seven years jail and deportation.

Article 312 of the country’s penal code lists crimes including “abuse towards any of the rituals or practices of Islam” and “insulting any of the recognised religions”.

Shall be punishable by confinement and by fine or by one of these two penalties any individual who commits any of the following offences:
1. Offence against any of the Islamic sacred things or rites.
2. To insult and revile any of the recognised divine religions.
3. To portray disobedience in a positive light, to incite thereto, to promote it or to procure any means susceptible of tempting people to disobey.
4. To knowingly eat pork meat while being a Muslim. Where any of the above offences is committed in public, the punishment shall be either confinement for a minimum period of one year or a fine
- Article 312 of UAE’s Federal Penal Code

Various human rights watch dogs including Amnesty International have criticised the UAE for its draconian laws against free speech.

Last month, an American expat was arrested by police in Abu Dhabi for a Facebook post complaining about his UAE-based employer.

Another American, James Kottak, the drummer for German band Scorpions, was sentenced to a month in prison for insulting Islam, swearing and being drunk at an airport in Dubai last year.

(With PTI inputs)