Emirates: The Sharjah Police have denied a report doing the rounds on social media about residency violators getting to amend their legal status.

This came after a “large number of Asian workers” enquired about the report that stated they could amend their illegal status for a small fee through a service centre.

Affirming that the news was fake, the police warned against circulating rumours on social media. They said this is a crime that is punishable by law.

The police called on residents to verify the source of information before circulating it. They said they have the technical expertise to track down the source of rumours on social media and arrest those responsible for it.

The UAE Public Prosecution had earlier today highlighted the penalties for spreading rumours and false news.

Anyone who uses the Internet to publish, circulate or spread false news, rumours or misleading information could be punished by imprisonment for at least one year and fined Dh100,000.