The UAE Digital Government has warned that collecting funds through individuals or unauthorized parties exposes the violator to legal accountability.
She pointed out that there are eight controls for collecting donations, to protect this type of charitable activities from the risks of exploitation, the most prominent of which is that donations be collected through a charitable association or humanitarian organizations recognized in the country, and that have obtained a permit from the competent authorities.
She said that collecting money through unauthorized methods from natural persons or unauthorized parties exposes violators to imprisonment and a fine.
The UAE Digital Government explained that the federal law regarding regulating donations aims to regulate donations in the country, protect donors’ funds, and provide them legitimately. It also sets controls for collecting, receiving and distributing donations from licensed parties and entities authorized to collect donations.
The provisions of the law apply to any entity wishing to collect or provide donations in the country, including free zones.
She stressed that fundraising activities, whether through traditional or digital methods, are limited to licensed entities, which include charities, federal, local, and private bodies and institutions whose establishment decrees or decisions permit the collection, receipt, and provision of donations, noting that no other party may establish, organize, or An act intended to collect donations unless a permit is obtained from the competent authority.
It stressed the prohibition of collecting donations from natural persons (i.e. individuals), as this is considered one of the crimes punishable by the law regulating donations, and its form includes people collecting donations from others for the purpose of helping some humanitarian cases by any means of advertising, whether through social media or Through websites.
She pointed out that non-profit organizations that wish to collect donations in the UAE must first obtain a permit from the Ministry of Community Development, or the competent local authority in each emirate.
In addition, fundraising must be through a charitable association or humanitarian organizations recognized in the country.
The applicant for collecting donations must obtain the approval of the charitable association to collect donations, and state the purpose of collecting them, the names and identities of those responsible for collecting them, the beneficiary party or entities, the means or means by which donations will be collected, the locations in which they will be collected, the duration of their collection, and the period for submitting them to the entity. Or the beneficiary entities, in addition to the percentage of operational and administrative expenses that will be deducted for the benefit of the charitable organization that collects donations.
Donations can be collected through 14 means, including bank accounts for collecting donations, ATMs of banks licensed in the country, digital platforms, monthly deductions from bank accounts, social media, various marketing and promotional offers and the accompanying request for donations, and direct deposits into bank accounts. And various media, concerts, markets, exhibitions, auctions, charitable events, paid funds or coupons or cash donations in exchange for receipts, SMS, telephone calls, external transfers, in addition to advertisements through various websites.
• A non-profit organization wishing to collect donations in the country must obtain a permit.
Penalty for violating the fundraising law
Anyone who collects or receives donations, gifts, bequests or subsidies from any person or entity outside the country shall be punished by imprisonment and a fine of not less than 200 thousand dirhams and not more than 500 thousand dirhams, or by one of these two penalties, except in accordance with the controls and procedures specified by the executive regulations. For the law. The penalty shall be doubled in the event of recidivism. Anyone who trades in donation funds, engages in financial speculation, or distributes revenues or returns to members of associations or their employees shall be punished with imprisonment and a fine of no less than 200,000 dirhams and no more than 500,000 dirhams, or one of these two penalties. The penalty shall be doubled. In case of recurrence.
Anyone who commits any act, while collecting, accepting or presenting donations, that would harm public order, national security, public morals, or Encouraging any sectarian, ethnic, racial, religious, or cultural disputes, or any illegal purpose in accordance with the legislation in force in the country, and the penalty is doubled in the event of recidivism.
In all cases, the court shall order the confiscation of donations collected in violation of the provisions of this law, and the deportation of the foreigner after he has carried out the sentence imposed on him.
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