Abortion is Criminalized in the UAE

The UAE Penal Code criminalizes abortion and is punishable by imprisonment and a fine. It is only allowed during medical complications for the mother, which obliges an abortion.

The Times revealed that UAE canceled the law punishing women for pregnancy outside of marriage. Consequently, social media users misinterpreted the Times headline. This is how misinformation started circulating online.

After the story was published, Twitter users threatened the author,  Ashleigh Stewart, accusing her of spreading misinformation. According to Media Bias Check, The Times is known for factual reporting due to a clean fact check record.

However, Stewart ignored the accusations she received by revealing that more UAE laws will be modified.

The UAE began decriminalizing alcohol, suicide, unmarried sex, and pregnancy outside of marriage. Still, abortion in the UAE is a crime.

In the past, unmarried women with an extra-marital pregnancy would face deportation or imprisonment according to the country’s laws.

Hence, foreigners in this situation would usually have to travel outside the country to enter into a speedy marriage or choose to terminate service and return to their home country.

Many low-paid workers who could not afford to leave, including maids whom their employers raped, were forced to give birth in secret and raise their children secret from the authorities.

A lawyer based in the UAE confirmed that wedlock relationships are not a crime.

As pregnancy outside of marriage is no longer a scandal, the issuance of birth certificates nowadays requires a marriage certificate or a court order.

Additional reporting by Yasmine Sami.