The General Secretariat of The Executive Council of Dubai stressed the importance of adhering to policies and procedures on the dissemination and exchange of government information including those related to confidentiality and privacy.
Punitive measures will be taken if information related to confidential and sensitive government documents and worksheets is leaked.
The General Secretariat of The Executive Council said Dubai government authorities had identified certain individuals that leaked classified documents through messaging applications and social media platforms. It stressed that leaking classified documents is a crime as per the emirate’s laws and will result in legal action.
The Secretariat cited Article 33, Law No. 08 of the 2018 Human Resources Management of the Government of Dubai, which states that every employee must maintain the confidentiality of the information he has access to in his official role as a government employee – during and after his service period - and not disclose it to others either in writing or orally. This applies to any information regarding the government; his place of employment; or information related to any government entity unless he obtains prior written permission from the Director General or is required to disclose that information at the request of a judicial authority or government entity authorized under a relevant legislation.
In addition, the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct Document for government employees, which has been approved by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, emphasizes the importance of not publishing or circulating official data and documents through social media or other means.
The General Secretariat of The Executive Council of Dubai stated that government information and data represent sources of national wealth and government agencies should spare no effort to protect it.
The General Secretariat also highlighted the importance of classifying all government documents to protect systems and information from leaks or manipulation. Government agencies must take all the measures and precautions necessary to classify and protect sensitive and confidential government data, in order to avoid any misuse.
It noted that Dubai is a regional pioneer in providing, managing and protecting data, and achieving a balance between facilitating the smooth exchange of information and maintaining its confidentiality. Enhancing transparency and establishing governance rules regarding data dissemination and exchange is one of the most prominent objectives of Law No. (26) of 2015 ‘Data Dissemination and Exchange in the Emirate of Dubai’ enacted six years ago, as well as the Smart Dubai Department’s policies on data classification, data protection, associated intellectual property rights, Dubai data usage and technical standards.
Law No. (11) of the year 2014 regarding the establishment of the Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC) was another pioneering step taken to protect information, communication networks and government information systems, in addition to raising the efficiency of preserving and exchanging information, whether it is through information systems or other electronic means.
News Source: https://www.wam.ae/en/details/1395302908339
