United Arab Emirates: New Anti-Terror Law

A new anti-terror law which imposes the death penalty or life imprisonment for establishing or heading a terrorist organisation was decreed by the President of the UAE on 27 July. The decree defines terrorism as “any act that spreads terror or harms the public or Heads of State or Government officials or seeks to destabilise the general order of society”. The decree further defines that anyone who establishes, funds, organises or administers a society, authority, organisation, centre, group or gang or held a leading position in them with the purpose to commit a terror act shall be sentenced to death or life imprisonment. People convicted of undergoing military training with a terrorist organisation are liable to a life sentence or jail terms of at least 10 years.