Forgery under UAE Criminal Law

Forgery is a crime against public trust that involves intentionally altering the truth in a document or other legally recognized record with the intent to use it as genuine, causing harm or obtaining an unlawful benefit.

The offense consists of two main elements: the material element, which is the act of falsifying a document, and the mental element, which is the intent and knowledge of the forgery.

UAE law distinguishes between forgery of official and private documents, with stricter penalties for official documents. It also criminalizes the use of a forged document when the user knows it is forged.

The law further extends protection to electronic documents and digital records, reflecting the UAE's commitment to safeguarding the integrity of both traditional and electronic transactions.