The United Arab Emirates has announced strict penalties for individuals caught begging, according to a report by Legit.ng. Under Federal Law by Decree No. 31 of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law, offenders face a fine of AED 5,000 (approximately N1,831,633) and a custodial sentence of up to three months. The law is actively enforced across all Emirates.
Penalties for Organised Begging Operations
The UAE imposes significantly harsher consequences for those involved in coordinating begging activities. Individuals who lead or run a professional begging gang, or who recruit people from outside the UAE specifically to beg, face a prison term of no less than six months and a minimum fine of AED 100,000 (approximately N36,632,677).
The legislation was designed with three clear objectives: to protect the image of the UAE, to safeguard the general public, and to dismantle both individual and organised begging operations.
Social Welfare as an Alternative to Prosecution
Not all cases result in prosecution. The UAE's Public Prosecution has the discretion to refer individuals accused of begging to the Ministry of Community Development or a relevant local authority, provided the person qualifies for social welfare support. In such cases, the individual may receive financial assistance or be enrolled in a vocational training programme rather than face criminal charges.
According to the report, "At the discretion of the UAE's Public Prosecution, people who are accused of begging, but qualify for social welfare, may be referred to Ministry of Community Development or the competent local authority to get social support or trained for work."
Related UAE Labour Regulations
In a separate development, Legit.ng reported that the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation classified workers into nine professional levels based on international occupational standards. The ministry published the recognised job categories, ranging from legislators and executives to workers in simple professions, along with minimum monthly salary requirements for each level.
