A surge in online scams has pushed the question of a dedicated Dubai cybercrime court to the top of the emirate's legal agenda. Dubai Prosecution's First Chief Prosecutor Dr. Khalid Ali Al Junaibi has formally called for the creation of a specialised court to handle digital crimes — a proposal that drew strong backing from senior police and academic figures at a high-level symposium in July 2024.
Dubai's Top Prosecutor Calls for a Dedicated Cybercrime Court
Dr. Al Junaibi made his case at the 'Future Crimes and the Role of Cybersecurity in the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution' symposium held at the Dubai Police Officers Club. He argued that the existing judiciary is ill-equipped to deal with the technical complexity of cybercrime cases.
"Law and hacking can be a challenging combination, as judges often do not fully comprehend the technicalities of penetration and digital evidence," he said.
He called for the appointment of specialist judges with expertise in cybersecurity and digital forensics, alongside dedicated prosecution offices focused exclusively on digital and electronic crimes. "There are judges who should specialise in these cases, and we need dedicated prosecution offices to handle digital and electronic crimes," Dr. Al Junaibi added.
What a Specialized Cybercrime Court Would Mean for Dubai
Under Dr. Al Junaibi's proposal, the new court structure would allow investigators, prosecutors, and judges to work within a unified framework designed specifically for cyber offences — covering online fraud, hacking, data breaches, and identity theft.
He argued this would make it possible to examine, pursue, and prosecute cybercriminality in Dubai far more efficiently than routing such cases through general courts where technical nuances are often lost or misunderstood.
Lt. Gen. Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chief of Police and Public Security in Dubai, voiced his support for the idea and called for deeper integration across all sectors and government institutions to strengthen the UAE's cybersecurity infrastructure.
"It is now our social and legal responsibility to take all the necessary measures to shield society from the dangers of employing modern technologies in perpetrating crimes," Lt. Gen. Tamim said.
AI, Deepfakes, and the 4th Industrial Revolution
The symposium ranged across a wide spectrum of emerging digital threats. Discussions covered crimes involving artificial intelligence, deepfake technology, robotics, and big data analysis — areas where the law has struggled to keep pace with rapid technological change.
Participants recommended forming dedicated teams to gather security-related data and produce public awareness materials on cybercrime. A national strategy for quantum computing was also raised, alongside proposals to update UAE legislation to address advances in AI and remote technologies.
Dr. Saeed Al Dhaheri, Director of the Centre for Future Studies at the University of Dubai, highlighted the dual nature of AI in cybersecurity. While AI can significantly enhance defensive capabilities, he warned it is simultaneously being weaponised by hackers to carry out more sophisticated attacks. He called for stronger proactive measures to prepare for threats that have yet to fully emerge.
