DUBAI 10 June 2019: A foreign woman managed to earn US$50,000 (Dh183,500) in just 17 days during Ramadan by begging through Facebook, according to Dubai Police.
Dubai Police arrested 128 beggars and confiscated Dh38,000 in its Ramadan anti-begging campaign.
Brigadier General Jamal Salem Al Jallaf, Director of the Department of Public and Criminal Investigation at Dubai Police, asked the public not to empathize with beggars in public places or social networking sites, but instead to report them in order to contribute to the protection of the community.
He cited the case of a foreign woman who created accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to attract people and exploit them to help provide for the expenses of raising her children. She published their images to inspire charitable people. She promoted herself as a victim of a foreign company employer and of a failed marriage.
Unmasked
She was unmasked when one of the relatives of her divorced husband saw the posts and called him in his home country to inquire about his supposedly ‘dire’ situation, offering to help him. The husband was surprised by the call and reported the matter to the eCrime unit.
The divorced husband confirmed that the children had been living with him for years and had a decent life. The beggar lady managed to reap $50,000 during the 17 days of begging through networking sites.
Brigadier Al Jallaf said the multi-language anti-begging Ramadan campaign succeeded in spreading awareness widely in society. Of the 128 beggars arrested, 85 were males and 43 females. Of the total, 108 were visitors, 19 residents, and one of a Gulf nationality.
Forfeiture and Deportation
Lt. Col. Ahmed Al Adidi, Director of the Department of Counter-Intruders, confirmed the confiscation of the confiscated items and money used in the crime of begging. If any of these items or money cannot be seized, the court shall impose a fine equal to its value, all without prejudice to the rights of good-willing third parties, and the court may deport the alien.
According to Federal Law No. (9) of 2018, in the matter of combating begging, Article 5 states that a person who commits the crime of begging shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months and a fine of not less than Dh5,000, if the beggar is healthy or has resources to live, or if the beggar has created permanent injury or disability, pretended to perform a service to others or used any other means of deception and influence others to derive their sympathy.
A penalty of not less than 6 months imprisonment and a fine of not less than Dh100,000 shall be imposed on anyone who has committed the crime of organized begging. The same penalty shall also be imposed on anyone who brings people under the law of entry and residence of foreigners to be used for organized begging.
Internet Fund-raising
Captain Abdullah Al Shehhi, said imprisonment and a fine of not less than Dh250,000 and not exceeding Dh500,000 will be given to anyone who has established or managed a site, electronically supervised or disseminated information on the Internet or other technical means of advocacy or promotion of fundraising without a license approved by a competent authority.
Dubai Police receives 34,402 calls during Eid holidays
Meanwhile, Colonel Turki bin Fares, Director of the Command and Control Center of Dubai Police Operations Department, said that the center received 34,402 phone calls during the Eid Al Fitr holidays and recorded 876 traffic accidents, ranging from simple and major.
Colonel Turki appealed to the public not to contact 999 unless it is an urgent matter or an emergency.
He stressed that the operating room handles critical operations and is the first responder for emergency communications, so the public should call 999 only in emergencies.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque receives 172,695 during Eid
ABU DHABI: The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi received 172,695 people during Eid Al Fitr holidays.
About 103,207 of them were visitors or tourists and 69,488 worshippers, of whom about 18,475 attended Eid Al Fitr prayers and 51,013 performed the daily prayers during the holidays.
The total number of visitors or tourists (103,207) visiting the Mosque during the Eid holidays reflects its stature as a major cultural and religious tourism destination. Known for its prominent Islamic architecture in the UAE and the region, the Mosque offers everyone a chance to enjoy a spiritual environment and the diverse and creative art works on display, said Wam.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is conducting special cultural tours themed ‘Our Culture’ during religious and national holidays to highlight the importance of such occasions and promote Emirati culture.
During the tours on Eid Al Fitr holidays, guides from the mosque explained the history of the occasion and its importance to the Emirati community. They showed the visitors a cannon that fires to mark the beginning of Eid and explained the Emirati culture, traditions, customs.
The iconic Islamic geometric design of the mosque has made it an international cultural destination that attracts visitors from around the world. The visitors can also learn about the role the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque plays in establishing a culture of tolerance, which embodies the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father of the UAE.
The tours aim to spread the mosques’ message, emphasise its role in building cultural bridges, while highlighting the UAE society’s values of tolerance, love and giving.
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