The Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi has cautioned people from India who are in the United Arab Emirates not to take photos or make videos of places where incidents occur, with the increasing difficulties between the US and Iran. The embassy made clear that UAE officials will firmly use the law against anyone who films incident locations without permission, as well as areas that are off-limits and the insides of airports.
What the embassy is advising and what to do
The embassy asked all people of Indian nationality to quickly follow the local safety rules and warnings. If a warning goes off, people should go to a safe place and stay put until police say it’s okay to leave. Do not go out to take photos or videos.
The embassy also warned against putting pictures of areas where things happened on social media or any other online places – for instance, damage from things that were thrown or bits of explosive shells. Officials have said that spreading this sort of stuff is a possible risk to the safety and security of the public.
If people who live there see pieces of explosive shells or find things that look suspicious, they should stay away from them and immediately tell the right authorities. The embassy said not to touch or go near any wreckage, so that specially trained groups can make the area safe and look into what happened.
Why the ban is in place – safety and the law
UAE officials have said that the restrictions are needed for both safety and because of the law. Filming areas that are off-limits, important systems, or airports can get in the way of emergency services and might put people in a position to be legally punished. The goal of enforcing these rules is to cut down on the chance of wrong information and to protect public order.
Taking videos at airports is especially not allowed when planes are arriving or leaving, because officials are very worried about security at travel centres. Officials see taking photos without permission inside airport buildings as something that could cause problems for operations and investigations.
Following what officials tell you to do helps people avoid being punished and lowers the chance that sensitive pictures will get on the internet and make dealing with a crisis more difficult. The embassy stressed that obeying local laws is a key thing to do to avoid accidentally getting into legal trouble.
What is happening in the area and the risks for Gulf countries
This warning is coming as the United States and Iran are getting into more trouble with each other, and this is drawing Gulf countries into the fighting. A number of countries in the area have said that they stopped attacks overnight, and some people have been in danger from missile pieces and bits of explosive shells falling.
Areas where people live can suffer damage that wasn’t meant to happen during these fights. Governments all over the Gulf have raised the level of warnings and security, and are asking people who live there and visitors to carefully follow what officials tell them to do as things happen and conditions in the air and on the sea change.
What this means for travel and business
The increasing tension has real effects on travel and trade. Rules at airports, changes to routes for a short time, and checking people for weapons become more intense when there is military fighting, and this affects planes coming and going and getting things where they need to be. People who are travelling should expect to be delayed and do what airport officials tell them.
At the same time, wider economic steps are being taken: a short-term permission was recently given to Indian oil cleaners to buy some oil supplies that had been stuck, as a short-term step to keep oil prices steady with the trouble in the area. These policy steps show how closely security and energy markets are tied together.
What people from India and visitors in the UAE should do
Get up to date through official embassy channels and UAE officials for information as it happens. Charge your mobile phones, save emergency phone numbers, and do not share things you haven’t checked that could mislead people or cause the police to take action. Check the status of your flight before going to the airport and only go when you are allowed.
If you see wreckage or think there is something that hasn’t gone off, tell local emergency services and move to a safe distance. Do not put things about incident places on social media; officials might ask you to take images down, and sharing them could put you at legal risk.
The embassy repeats that following safety warnings and local laws is the best way to protect yourself and your community at this time of increasing tension in the area.
