The UAE government is firm on the erroneous Reuters report about an explosion in Dubai.

The Public Prosecution of the United Arab Emirates has expanded its investigation into a false news report claiming several explosions occurred in Downtown Dubai. The official news agency 'Wam' reported that UAE Attorney General Counselor Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi stated that news agency officials and the relevant reporter involved in preparing, approving, and publishing this erroneous report were summoned and their statements recorded.

This investigation will assess the responsibility of each individual involved at various stages of the news publication process, and to what extent they adhered to legal and professional standards in verifying information. The Attorney General further emphasized that although the relevant news agency decided to retract its report and apologize, this does not absolve them of their legal responsibility, and investigations will continue as prescribed by law, with necessary actions being taken.

The Dubai Media Office confirmed on Thursday, July 16, that the report published by Reuters news agency claiming explosions in Downtown Dubai was false. Accordingly, Reuters retracted the relevant news item that same evening, issuing a statement expressing regret and acknowledging that their news did not comply with standard practices. The statement further noted that they were unable to immediately confirm the source or nature of the sounds, and that the original report did not provide a proper explanation. Additionally, they published a new report that included the denial statement issued by the Dubai Media Office.

The Dubai Media Office urges the public to always rely only on official sources and refrain from spreading rumors, as UAE authorities constantly work to inform the public about any significant events through official social media and other channels. Authorities have also warned that action will be taken against media outlets that publish false or unconfirmed information, in violation of local and federal laws. In March, Dubai Police also issued a warning regarding sharing and circulating unconfirmed content, reminding that violators of such laws could face criminal penalties, including imprisonment and a fine of not less than AED 200,000.