French influencer Maeva Ghennam has denied reports that she was arrested in Dubai for sharing footage of Iranian missiles striking the city. The 28-year-old, who has three million Instagram followers, posted videos showing explosions outside her window, captioning them with 'I'm scared'.
According to France Info, Ghennam was detained alongside three other French nationals for filming and disseminating images of the conflict. However, she claims she was summoned by Dubai police over a separate case involving her cosmetics brand, not the missile footage.
The United Arab Emirates strictly polices social media, threatening jail for anyone sharing information that 'results in inciting panic among people'. Since the conflict began, dozens have been arrested for filming drone or missile strikes, with Abu Dhabi police alone detaining 45 people of multiple nationalities.
The British embassy warned that under UAE law, sharing includes posting on social media or forwarding content via messaging apps. A 60-year-old British man was charged under cyber-crime laws for allegedly filming Iranian missiles, despite claiming he deleted the footage.
Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, said dozens of UK nationals have sought urgent help. One tourist who posted a picture of a hotel fire following a drone attack has been detained since March 9, reportedly without access to a lawyer or phone.
