Man who posted photo of Dubai policeman on Instagram is jailed for two years

DUBAI // A man posted images of a policeman in uniform on Instagram, with a caption claiming the officer was homosexual and offering sexual services.

Dubai Criminal Court convicted the 29-year-old Filipino of threatening to defame the officer if he did not pay Dh8,000 and using telecommunications to assault the privacy of the victim.

The defendant and the Yemeni officer were charged with having consensual sex, a charge the policeman will face at Dubai Court of Misdemeanours.

The officer, who said he had been friends with the Filipino, told the court he was contacted by friends who saw the picture of him on Instagram with inappropriate words.

“I told them it was not me who posted them and I headed to the police station to report the matter,” said the victim.

He was questioned by his superiors and later arrested by CID. He said the Filipino threatened to post the pictures if he did not agree to be his lover and asked him for Dh8,000.

The Filipino will be deported after serving a two-year jail term.

salamir@thenational.ae