Dhs100,000 fine and jail for professional gangs of beggars in UAE

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Public Prosecution has pointed out that anyone caught begging in the UAE will be fined Dhs5,000 and imprisoned for up to three months.

It further said that punishment will be if a beggar is healthy and has a source of income, has faked an injury or permanent impairment or used any other means to deceive people with the aim of obtaining benefits.

The Public Prosecution has warned that professional gangs of beggars and groups bringing people from outside the country to work as beggars will face imprisonment of over six months and a minimum fine of Dhs100,000.

Anyone recruiting people from outside the country for organised begging can be punished with the same penalty, and anyone participating in organised begging can be imprisoned for up to three months and will be fined Dhs5,000.

The Public Prosecution has published an awareness video on social media highlighting the crimes of begging and organised begging and relevant punishments according to the law.

In the video, the Public Prosecution explained that begging is defined as solicitation aimed at obtaining financial or in-kind benefits while organised begging is performed by organised groups of two or more persons.

The awareness video is part of the Public Prosecution’s campaign to improve the public's legal culture and raise their awareness, including about the importance of not begging during the Holy Month of Ramadan.