Ministry of Interior’s child protection center is organizing on Sunday a legislative workshop, the first of its kind in the Middle East, under the patronage of Lt. General H.H Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minster and Minster of Interior.
The event is held at the premises of Abu Dhabi Police in collaboration with John Hopkins University and with presence of a number of strategic partners.
The center is also holding a week-long training in collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre (RCMP NCECC), a strategic partner of the virtual Global Taskforce VGT on November 20th.
This workshop is held within the strategy of the Ministry of Interior and its continuous keenness to promote awareness and protection in the society, mainly with regard to children, stated Major General Nasser Lekhrebani Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of the Office H.H Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Child Protection and head of the Higher Preparatory Committee to Prepare for the National Project for Students Awareness.
The workshop is aiming to highlight the local and international efforts and initiatives made by the Ministry of Interior and address the legislative-related remarks regarding the protection of children rights, he added, Participation of John Hopkins University will boost the exchange of joint expertise, he said, referring to the legislation model ‘protection’ which the university has developed noting that the legislative model will be reviewed through a comprehensive vision on the international efforts made in this field.
Our legal legislations will also be revised with emphasis on the international requirements and laws, he further added, pointing out that model developed by the higher committee for child protection will be explored during the second session of the workshop.
The training to be organized in collaboration with a VGT member will be focusing on combating possession, publication or distribution of children pornography using peer -to –peer (P2P) file sharing technology, he said.
On the other hand, director of MoI Child Protection Center, Lt Colonel Faisal Al Shammari stressed that the ministry will monitor those involved in the publication and distribution of child pornography using p2p file sharing technology, noting that children safety and protection is one of the ministry of interior’s top priorities.
It is a measure that is applicable by some advanced countries, he added, pointing out that combating the possession and publication of child pornography files helps identify the culprit and the victim.
He added: pear to pear file technology sharing represents a clear infringement to the many laws such as the Federal Law No.2, 2006 concerning the prevention of information technology crimes. Here are some of its applicable articles:
Article 9:
any one who uses the internet or any information technology device to threaten or blackmail another one to act or not to act shall be liable to imprisonment up to 2 years and a fine not exceeding AED 50.000 or either. If threat is used to induce the commission of a felony or cause defamation, the penalty will be imprisonment for up to ten years.
Article 12:
Anyone who produces arranges, sends, stores, with intent of using, circulating, or offering, through the internet, or any other information technology devices, information that is contrary to public morals, or operates a venue for such a purpose, shall be liable to imprisonment and fine or either. If the act is committed against a minor, the penalty shall be liable
