UAE goes completely insane; VPN = Jail + $545K fine

[PCgamer324]

Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/07/28/vpn_users_in_uae_face_544k_fine/

 

 

UAE has joined the ranks of government idiocy concerning technology by issuing a royal edict that effectively bans VPNs...

Quote

A royal edict from the president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) may have just effectively made it illegal for anyone in the country to use a VPN or secure proxy service.

Those caught could face jail time and fines of between 500,000 and 2,000,000 UAE dirham (US$136,130 and $544,521). The change was announced by the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in a proclamation that amended federal laws

The new decree details the circumstances and repercussions of such an offense: 

Quote

Whoever uses a fraudulent computer network protocol address (IP address) by using a false address or a third-party address by any other means for the purpose of committing a crime or preventing its discovery, shall be punished by temporary imprisonment and a fine of no less than Dhs 500,000 and not exceeding Dhs 2,000,000, or either of these two penalties.

As international governments such as UK, USA and Russia are clamping down on privacy services; UAE has taken a drastic step against internet privacy 

[Dabombinable]

A bit of a repost there: 

 

[SansVarnic]

Not surprised by this move. The UAE is pretty heavy handed.

[Yog]

It specifically says "for the purpose of committing a crime"...which does not make using it illegal, it only adds another charge to someone who commits a crime while using one.

[Belgarathian]

Yeah - only if you commit a crime while using one. 

 

If you use a VPN to google kitten photos, you're fine.

[NumLock21]

Repost

[Misanthrope]

1 hour ago, Yog said:

It specifically says "for the purpose of committing a crime"...which does not make using it illegal, it only adds another charge to someone who commits a crime while using one.

Which under Sharia law it might be something as simple as a women being outside without a male or prematiral sex which literally gets you flogging. So kind of a pointless distinction to make. And you better don't ever even look "Atheism" online cause apostasy is punisheable by death.

[Yog]

5 minutes ago, Misanthrope said:

Which under Sharia law it might be something as simple as a women being outside without a male or prematiral sex which literally gets you flogging. So kind of a pointless distinction to make. And you better don't ever even look "Atheism" online cause apostasy is punisheable by death.

Well, that's another issue. In and of itself this law doesn't change much, it just increases punishment of those who would already be punished.

 

However, non-Muslims aren't held to the same standards as Muslims in the UAE. A lot of sharia law is only enforceable to Muslims. For instance, it's illegal for Muslims to consume alcohol but legal for a non-Muslim. Islamic countries have been doing this for centuries in order to collect on taxes and promote trade from non-Muslims...and also to keep non-Muslims in countries they've conquered from causing an uprising.