Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

An Abu Dhabi court has sentenced eight individuals to prison terms ranging from three to 15 years for child sexual exploitation through online gaming and social media platforms. Investigations revealed that the convicts lured minors into sharing explicit material and exchanged indecent content. The court also imposed fines of up to Dh1 million, confiscated their devices, banned them from internet use, and ordered the closure of their online accounts. Three of the offenders will be deported after serving their sentences. In a statement on Monday (September 15), the Abu Dhabi Public Prosecution urged parents to monitor children’s online activity and raise awareness of online dangers. The UAE also played a key role in a recent global crackdown on child exploitation through the “AI for Safer Kids” initiative launched with UNICRI. The operation, led by Argentina across 15 countries, resulted in 73 search warrants, 32 arrests, and the rescue of 15 children. ICA/Expat Media
For all the latest news from the UAE and the world, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube page