Q: I got an order of 6 months imprisonment and deportation for a judgment in absentia by the Sharjah court for selling medicine without a license. I was not involved in the case directly; my friend used my car, and he had my bank card. They made a confession that they were working for me and made a false claim that they had transferred money to me. As I am outside the country, I came to the UAE to solve my case. I got detained at the airport, and the CID asked me some questions. I mentioned they didn’t transfer me a single Dihram, so he let me go, as the case was already open for appeal. In the first instance court, they gave me the same verdict, then I appealed and attached documents like bank statements and my company details, which were not mentioned before. They gave a date for the judgment, but it was not issued, and they gave the next date. I have been suffering a lot for the last 3 months here in the UAE and for 6 months back home. So my question is that what will happen next? Will the case be open for retrial, and will the CID be convinced by my logic? Can they drop charges, or now the court decide only?

Q: My brother is in jail because he shared the medicine with someone and he didn't know it was banned in the UAE. Someone told him to bring it from his home country because medicine is expensive here. He gives it to someone by hand and he doesn't know about it. He doesn't use or sell. He is in jail for 2 months. His case is still under investigation. How much time for the judgment? He told me he has a case of Tarweej (promoting) in Arabic. I don't know about this case and what punishment he will get. Can he go out on bail? Any deposit for bail? Please guide me.

Q: It's been 2 weeks since my husband was caught with 7 friends in a villa by CID and was detained at Bur Dubai police station till present. They tested positive (first-time offender) but because one of his friends who was caught carrying drugs included his name for selling it, the case file stated: "in possession of drugs with the intention of promoting it". I am humbly seeking legal advice on how to release him while the case is still under investigation. My 2-year-old baby boy misses his papa so much.

مقال في صورة مقابلة يتناول موضوع تعاطي المخدرات وإعادة التأهيل في الإمارات العربية المتحدة. المقال مقتبس من المدونة الصوتية القانونية للمحامية لودميلا يامالوفا، مؤسسة مشروع لوجيكال مع لايلو.

A legal concept upheld by the Federal Supreme Court states that drug use is not prosecuted by UAE courts if the offense occurred abroad. A positive drug test is accepted as proof of drug use, but it does not reveal whether the drug use occurred domestically or abroad. It is necessary to establish the crime's location in order to decide if the UAE courts have the authority to investigate it or if foreign courts should have jurisdiction over it.

The provisions of this Federal Decree-Law No. (31) of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law, known as the "New UAE Penal Code", governs criminal actions in the United Arab Emirates. The New Penal Code repeals the previous UAE Penal Code (Federal Law No. (3) of 1987 Promulgating the Penal Code).

The provisions of this Federal Decree -Law No. (38) of 2022 Promulgating the Criminal Procedures Law, known as the "New Criminal Procedures Law", governs criminal procedures in the United Arab Emirates. The New Criminal Procedures Law repeals the previous UAE Criminal Procedures Law (Federal Law No. (35) of 1992 Concerning The Criminal Procedural Law).