Dubai on Tuesday introduced measures to govern the use of body cameras by court-appointed enforcement officers in an effort to “improve transparency and integrity”.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, issued an Executive Council resolution to regulate the use of cameras in documenting breaches and in the execution of judicial judgements and orders overseen by a judge.
The resolution, directed by Sheikh Hamdan in his capacity as Chairman of Dubai’s Executive Council, aims to strengthen professional conduct among enforcement officers in the emirate.
Enforcement officers – which include employees of private companies hired by courts – can be used to seize property, recover assets and serve legal documents based on court judgements.
What are the regulations?
The resolution requires government bodies to provide training to officers before granting them judicial enforcement powers.
This training must cover the application of the resolution, documentation of breaches and enforcement actions, secure handling and transfer of recordings, and the legal and ethical duties associated with the use of body cameras, especially those related to privacy protection.
The resolution sets out rules for using cameras to record enforcement officers and handling breaches and execution procedures, defining what can be recorded and where.
It requires recordings to be stored securely using encrypted systems, protected from unauthorised access or tampering, and managed in compliance with Dubai laws.
Government entities must maintain a database of authorised users and their access levels, and ensure all staff and authorised personnel follow privacy protection standards.
The resolution makes clear that cameras can only be used for official purposes and in line with the relevant authorities’ instructions.
It prohibits recording in private places such as homes, places of worship and changing rooms, and requires people to be informed when recording is taking place.
Officers must keep recordings confidential and share them only with the government department they represent or with authorised persons.
They are barred from copying, storing or transferring recordings on personal devices or unauthorised systems, and from using them for any personal or unlawful purpose.
The executive resolution also outlines the obligations of private companies contracted by government bodies to carry out enforcement action.
Recordings must be stored electronically by the government entity, kept confidential under Dubai Electronic Security Centre rules, and may only be used, shared or accessed with written approval and for specified purposes under Dubai laws.
The Resolution is effective from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.