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UAE Legal First-Aid · Criminal First 6 Hours

You were just arrested in the UAE. Here is what to do.

Stay silent. Do not sign anything you cannot read. Call a UAE-licensed lawyer before any statement. You have rights under Federal Law 35/1992 (Penal Procedures, as amended) — use them.

Call us now: +971 4 241 3555 Police: 999 Print / Save as PDF

Last reviewed: 1 May 2026 · UAE-licensed counsel · Save this page offline before you need it.

1
الخطوة 1 — التزم الصمت First 5 minutes

Stay silent. Do not resist.

Anything you say at the scene becomes part of the prosecution file. You have the right to remain silent under the Penal Procedures Law (Federal Law 35/1992, formerly Law 3/1983).

Do notDo not argue, swear, push back, or attempt to flee. Resisting arrest is a separate offence under the UAE Penal Code and will be charged on top of the original matter.
In immediate danger? Police: 999
2
الخطوة 2 — اسأل عن السبب Within 15 minutes

Politely ask the reason for the arrest.

You are entitled to know the cause of arrest and the station you will be taken to. Memorise the officer's name and badge number if visible.

Do notDo not invent excuses, deny facts the officer has not raised, or volunteer information about other people. Limit yourself to the question of why.
Public Prosecution (Dubai): +971 4 282 3333
3
الخطوة 3 — لا توقع شيئاً Within 30 minutes

Refuse to sign any document in Arabic without a translator.

Statements taken at the police station are written in Arabic. If you sign without understanding, you are bound by every word. You have the right to a certified interpreter under the Penal Procedures Law.

Do notDo not let an officer or fellow detainee "translate" the document for you informally. Insist on a court-appointed or embassy-arranged interpreter.
Ask for: مترجم محلف (sworn interpreter)
4
الخطوة 4 — اتصل بمحامٍ Within the first hour

Demand to contact a UAE-licensed advocate.

You are entitled to legal counsel before interrogation. A lawyer can attend the prosecution interview, review the file, and apply for bail. The earlier counsel is on the file, the better the outcome.

Do notDo not give a "preliminary statement" before counsel arrives, even if the officer says it will speed things up. Initial statements anchor the case.
Noura Almaazmi Advocates 24/7: +971 4 241 3555
5
الخطوة 5 — أبلغ سفارتك Within the first 2 hours

Notify your embassy or consulate.

Under Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, you have the right to consular notification. The embassy can supply lists of local lawyers, attend visits, and contact your family abroad.

Do notDo not assume the police will notify the embassy automatically. State the request out loud, in front of witnesses if possible, and ask for it to be recorded.
UAE MOFA Consular Affairs: 800 44444
6
الخطوة 6 — أبلغ عائلتك Within 3 hours

Use your call to alert one trusted person.

You usually get one phone call. Use it on someone who can engage counsel, gather documents (passport copy, employment contract, bank statements) and be reachable around the clock — not someone who will panic.

Do notDo not discuss facts of the case on a station phone. Lines are recorded. Limit the call to "I am at X station, call this lawyer, bring my passport copy."
Tell them: station name + your full name as on Emirates ID
7
الخطوة 7 — احسب 48 ساعة Hours 4–48

Watch the 48-hour custody clock.

Police custody is limited. You must be referred to the Public Prosecutor within 48 hours. The prosecutor can extend detention, but the initial police-custody window is bounded by law.

Do notDo not waive any procedural protections to "speed things up". Each step exists for a reason and counsel will use them.
Counsel should attend prosecution interview
8
الخطوة 8 — جلسة النيابة By hour 48

Prepare for the prosecution interview.

The Public Prosecutor will hear you, review the police file, and decide whether to release, detain further, or refer the matter to court. Your counsel may attend and submit written defences.

Do notDo not invent or embellish. Inconsistencies between your police statement and your prosecution statement become a separate evidentiary problem.
Bring: Emirates ID, passport copy, lawyer
9
الخطوة 9 — اطلب الكفالة As soon as eligible

Apply for bail or third-party guarantee.

Most misdemeanours are bailable. Counsel can offer a financial guarantee, a passport surrender or a UAE-resident sponsor as security. Felonies and certain drug or security charges are not bailable.

Do notDo not assume bail amounts are fixed — they are negotiated and can be revised on application.
Have a UAE-resident guarantor's Emirates ID ready
10
الخطوة 10 — احفظ الأدلة Within 6 hours

Preserve evidence and witness contacts.

CCTV at malls, hotels and police stations is typically overwritten in 7–30 days. List witnesses, locations, WhatsApp threads, bank transfers and emails that support your account. Get them to your lawyer fast.

Do notDo not delete messages, contacts or media on your phone. Deletion is later argued as consciousness of guilt and complicates digital forensics defence.
Send to: a verified lawyer email, not a personal one

Key contacts — keep these saved.

Save these numbers in your phone today, not after an arrest. Embassies have 24-hour duty officers; police lines are always live.

Police Emergency

999

UAE-wide. English-speaking dispatch.

Dubai Police (non-emergency)

901

Police info, status checks, reports.

Abu Dhabi Police

800 2626

Aman service, non-emergency.

Public Prosecution (Dubai)

+971 4 282 3333

For case file enquiries via counsel.

UAE MOFA Consular

800 44444

Coordinates with foreign embassies.

Noura Lawyers

+971 4 241 3555

Same-day partner response.

Your rights under UAE law

  • You have the right to remain silent — Penal Procedures Law (Federal Law 35/1992).
  • You have the right to a UAE-licensed lawyer before interrogation.
  • You have the right to a sworn Arabic-English (or other language) interpreter.
  • You have the right to have your embassy notified — Vienna Convention, Article 36.
  • You have the right to be referred to the Public Prosecutor within 48 hours of arrest.

Common mistakes

  • Signing an Arabic statement without a sworn translation.
  • Posting on social media about the case (this is a separate cybercrime risk under FDL 34/2021).
  • Apologising in writing — many UAE matters allow settlement, but admissions complicate defence.
  • Trying to leave the UAE while a travel ban is active — this triggers immediate re-arrest.

When to escalate to counsel — without waiting.

Call counsel immediately if any of the following are true: you are being held without a stated reason; you are being asked to sign Arabic-only documents; you are a foreign national without local family; the matter involves alleged drugs, cybercrime, money laundering or moral-conduct allegations; police custody is approaching the 48-hour mark without referral to the Public Prosecutor; or your embassy has not been notified despite request. In any of these cases, the cost of waiting is materially higher than the cost of engaging counsel.

Our office maintains a 24/7 partner-on-call rotation for criminal first-response matters across all seven Emirates.

Need help right now?

Same-day partner attendance at any UAE police station, court or prosecutor's office.

+971 4 241 3555