A 60-years British tourist has been arrested by authorities in the United Arab Emirates under strict anti-cyber crime laws after allegedly recording video of Iranian missiles soaring over the city of Dubai. The charge against the tourist stems from actions arising out of the shared use of social media regarding US airstrikes that have severely damaged significant landmarks in Dubai, such as the Burj Al Arab. In addition to being against the law to record location-based images of possible terrorist acts, the UAE criminalizes sharing or distributing information considered to be unsafe for public consumption.

While UAE government officials argue the arrests have been made to promote credible information and ensure due process to detainees, Amnesty International and other human rights organizations contend the recent detentions are part of an ongoing systematic assault on free speech. The family of the arrested British tourist has the assistance of the UK foreign office, and the case illustrates the extremely dangerous conditions for travelers in the Gulf region as the US-Israel-Iran conflict approaches the end of its second week.