AR
UR
A legal expert in UAE has warned that act of forging Covid-19 PCR test results to gain access to public places, events or other areas is a major crime that is punishable by jail term and a fine of up to Dh750,000.
Dr Youssef Al Sharif, advocate and legal counsel, said the Covid-19 test results are recorded in the Al Hosn app for the UAE residents. However, some residents might be tempted to forge these PCR results to avoid getting regular tests as per government requirements or to skip paying for these tests. This is very risky as they might be caught and charged by authorities.
“Some people try to play or circumvent these testing procedures, including falsify the result on their old negative PCR test certificate by changing the old dates and put new ones so they can show them to security officials to access restricted places that require a negative PCR test to enter,” Al Sharif.
The lawyer warned that forging PCR test results or other documents, whether by an individual or those working at testing centres is a major crime under the UAE law. He explained that according to Article (6) of Federal Decree-Law No. (5) of 2012 Concerning Combatting IT Crimes, any person forging an e-document issued by the federal or local government, organisations and authorities, shall be sentenced to a temporary jail term and might face a fine of Dh150,000 to Dh750,000.
Al Sharif further elaborated that such crimes’ penalty will be at least Dh100,000 and maximum Dh300,000 if the forgery is on document issued by an entity other than those stipulated in paragraph (1) of Article (6). He added that the same penalties is applicable to those who use forged e-documents.
As of December 31, 2021, Covid-19 vaccinated individuals entering Abu Dhabi by road will be required to show an Al Hosn Green Pass. On the other hand, unvaccinated individuals will have to show a negative PCR test which is obtained within 96 hours.
In 2020, two employees working at one of the UAE’s Covid-19 screening centre were arrested for forging many test results. Investigations led to confirmation that they used their jobs to give wrong test results for a fee, noted the official spokesperson for the Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Prosecution.
The staff members were altering images of the negative test results of other people. These fake results were then used by the people who paid them to enter Abu Dhabi. As their scheme was busted, the Dubai Police arrested the employees and they were referred to the prosecution.
SOURCE: Khaleej Times