Nakaka-intriga ang inilabas na announcement ng United Arab Emirates Public Prosecution Office sa pamamagitan ng official Facebook account nito.
Ang pangungulam at paggamit ng “act of illusion” para makapanakit ng iba ay may karampatang parusa.
Inilabas ang federal law ng UAE noong October 17, 2022.
Ang sinumang mapapatunayang nagkasala sa ganitong krimen ay makukulong at pagmumultahin ng AED50,000 o higit PHP762,000.
Ang batas ay tinawag na “The Acts of Illusion and Sorcery” at nakasaad sa Article 366 of the Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021, in passing of the crimes & penalties law.
Sabi rito: “Whoever commits for the exploitation or harm of others an act of illusion, sorcery, or quackery, whether in fact or by deceit, with or without consideration, shall be sentenced to imprisonment and fined a monetary penalty of not less than Fifty Thousand Dirhams (AED 50,000).”
Inisa-isa rin ang mga gawaing itinuturing na paglabag. Narito ang listahan:
“Committing acts, sayings words, or using illegitimate or logically unacceptable means or methods to affect the body, heart, mind, or will of another person, whether directly or in directly, in fact or as an imagination.
“Deluding the eyes of people or taking control of their senses or hearts by any means to make them see a thing on the contrary to the truth thereof, for the purpose of exploiting them or affecting their minds or beliefs.”
Narito naman ang mga sumusunod na katergorya na mapaparusahan ng pagkakakulong at multa:
"Any person seeking assistance of a magician with the aim to influence the body, heart, mind or will of others.
“A person bringing or importing to the State, having possession, acquiring or disposing by any means of disposition of books, talismans, materials or tools intended for sorcery or witchcraft.
“A person promoting, by any means, acts of sorcery or witchcraft.”
INCIDENTS OF SMUGGLING “MATERIALS” USED IN WITCHCRAFT, SORCERY
Sa isang ulat sa UAE media news outlets noong May 2021, tinukoy na naitala ng Dubai Customs ang 35 attempts para mag-smuggle ng mga material na ginagamit sa “witchcraft and sorcery” noong 2018, 2019, at 2020.
Kinabibilangan ito ng kilu-kilong “materials” ng sinasabing paraphernalia sa pangungulam.
Ayon sa Khaleej Times: “These materials often include talismans, animal skins, paper scraps, pieces of metal, animal blood, hair, bones, pictures of animals, rings, amulets, needles, knives, liquid materials, and books used to conduct these works.”