Q: I was charged with the abuse of psychotropic substances listed in tables 6, 7, and 8 and fined AED 20000. What can I do now? I am unable to pay the fine.

Q: I had a misdemeanor case in Dubai last January 28, 2023, then I was released on January 30 after a judge hearing. Now the judge asks me to submit a translated Arabic appeal letter for my explanation and seek help from the police officers. Unfortunately, no one can help me and assist me. They just released me the same day right away after the hearing without submitting my appeal. Then, they told me to wait for a call from Dubai Courts. Unfortunately, after waiting, no one called me so I followed up after a couple of days, but still no one replied to me. I even mailed the Dubai Police and they just said it was forwarded already to the HQ. I have to wait for a call. 2 weeks ago I received a call from them from Barsha telling me that I have to go to Dubai Courts. Then when I checked online, I found out that there is already a final judgment of 1 month of jail and deportation. Ma'am/Sir, I need to defend myself and submit an appeal because I have valid reasons why things happened at that time.

Q: Hi. My daughter was arrested from our residence in Dubai on 29 August for drugs. We had just got back from vacation two weeks prior, where she had smoked weed. She has spent a month in jail and yesterday was her hearing. She is sentenced to AED 5000 and deportation. We will appeal on Sunday. Question is, what are the charges for us to get her out on bail? Can the deportation be cancelled? We have been living in Dubai for 30 years and have nowhere to send her.

Q: Hi. My brother has been in Abu Dhabi judicial court for 2 weeks now and he had his first session with the judge 2 days ago. Yesterday, the result came out, and it says that he has a fine of 10k dirhams. But now, I checked the case again this morning, it says there is an appeal from the party. If he appealed to a higher court and paid the fine of 10k, can he still be released even if he has another hearing with a higher court to reverse the decision of a lower court?

The law promulgates UAE Criminal Procedural Law (Penal Procedures Law) which governs criminal procedures in the UAE. This law applies to the procedures relating to offences whose punishments are not specified, dogma and punitive offences, and blood money, if they do not violate the Sharia rules.

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).