British man charged in Dubai for alleged filming of Iranian missiles

A 60-year-old British man has been charged under cyber-crime laws in Dubai after allegedly filming Iranian missiles over the city.

UK Foreign Office officials are understood to be supporting his family.

The tourist was detained under a law in the United Arab Emirates that prohibits publishing or sharing material that could disturb public security, according to Detained in Dubai.

The organisation, which provides legal assistance in the country, said 21 people had been "charged together under the UAE's cybercrime laws in connection with videos and social media posts relating to the recent missile strikes".

The CEO of Detained in Dubai, Radha Stirling, said police found a video of an Iranian missile strike in Dubai on the British man's phone.

She told the BBC the formal charges were "very vague".

"I've reviewed the charge sheet and, from reading it, you wouldn't know what they've done wrong," Stirling said.

"We're seeing more and more people being charged under the UAE's cyber-crime rules."

She added that the man's family had been able to speak to him after he was detained.

Stirling said she believed the UAE was cracking down on people filming missiles in order to "maintain the facade that it is safe for tourists".

Criticism of the government is illegal in the UAE, and it exercises strict control over the flow information out of the country.

UK-based human rights group Amnesty International has said the UAE has "continued to criminalise the right to freedom of expression through multiple laws and to punish actual or perceived critics of the government".

For years, Dubai has cultivated a reputation as a glamorous and attractive destination for expats pursuing business opportunities and travel.

Conflict across the Middle East has entered a second week after the US and Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran, killing the country's supreme leader on 28 February.

Iran has continued to respond by launching attacks on Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf, which have extended to non-military targets, including civilian sites and energy facilities.

Some of the UAE's most iconic buildings have been damaged - including Fairmont The Palm hotel, in the luxurious Palm Jumeirah area, and the Burj Al Arab hotel.

Flights across the Middle East have also been severely disrupted by the conflict.