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A British tourist and his father have been held in a Dubai prison for several days after posting photographs of their hotel engulfed in flames following an Iranian drone strike on February 28.
The 40-year-old holidaymaker, who had been staying at the Fairmont The Palm Hotel in the city’s Palm Jumeirah district with his girlfriend, was arrested on March 9 along with his father.
They were initially told they would be questioned for a few hours, but have not been released since, with authorities reportedly treating them as a “national security risk.”
Radha Stirling, from the human rights group Detained in Dubai, said the family fears the pair are being held in “awful conditions” and are not receiving vital medication.
Watch the exact moment an Iranian missile strikes the Fairmont The Palm hotel on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah#Dubai #Iran pic.twitter.com/l69G5lL37g
— Surajit (@surajit_ghosh2) March 1, 2026
“This case represents a troubling development where a tourist, already traumatised by the incident, is being treated as a national security risk over what would ordinarily be considered minor conduct,” she told LBC.
According to Stirling, the tourist had privately shared images of the hotel fire with family members before the UAE government issued warnings against sharing sensitive material.
“No harm was intended,” she said. “Under these laws, he can be kept indefinitely.”
Dubai authorities have previously detained dozens of individuals for posting footage of Iranian drone attacks as part of strict cybersecurity measures aimed at preserving the city’s “easy-going” image. Violations can carry prison sentences of up to two years and fines exceeding £41,000.
I need you to read the following list carefully, because it does not read like a military target package. It reads like a luxury travel itinerary.
Fairmont Hotel, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai. CNN verified footage of a drone diving into the building. Four injured. Burj Al Arab, drone… https://t.co/cTanOjX86S pic.twitter.com/b5QbwpeVIB
— Shanaka Anslem Perera ⚡ (@shanaka86) March 1, 2026
The UAE Media Office confirmed that an incident occurred at the Palm Jumeirah hotel, injuring four people, but has not commented on the detention.
Stirling said the tourist “deeply regretted” sharing the images and had apologised to the authorities, but remains locked up without access to a lawyer, their embassy, or mobile phones.
This latest case highlights the extent of Dubai’s policing of social media and the risks faced by visitors who inadvertently share images of sensitive security incidents.
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