Emirati influencer fined Dh300,000 for defacing UAE currency online

KK posted a video on Snapchat where he used a dirham coin to burn incense

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An Emirati influencer has been fined hundreds of thousands of dirhams for defacing the UAE's national currency.

On Thursday, Abu Dhabi Court of Misdemeanours upheld a lower court’s ruling against the act and ordered the man to pay Dh300,000.

KK shared a video of himself to his one million followers on Snapchat showing how he used a one dirham coin to help burn incense. In the video, he used burning a coin would help the incense last longer.

The video has since been deleted, after it was reported to police.

“Abu Dhabi Public Prosecution had referred the defendant for trial after the spread of a video that contained acts that breach public decency, plus him appearing in one of the clips using the Emirati currency to burn incense,” a statement from the court read.

“Based on the evidence presented by public prosecution, the Abu Dhabi Court of Misdemeanours has found the defendant guilty.”

The court also ordered his social media accounts be suspended for one year.

The man was tried under Article 17 of the country's cybercrime law, which punishes anyone who produces, transmits, publishes and exploits, through an electronic site, any material that may "prejudice public morals."

After paying his fine on Wednesday, KK was released from prison, where he was held for 10 days during his trial.

Defacing currency is a crime in many countries. Burning, deforming or even writing on money is a crime in countries including Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US.