UAE Military Personnel Charged for Assisting Recruits to Evade National Service
Several UAE military employees face trial for abusing power to help recruits avoid mandatory national service.
The UAE Military Attorney General has referred multiple military employees to court on allegations of abusing their authority to secure unwarranted exemptions, enabling some recruits to circumvent the mandatory national service process.
Investigations revealed that the charges involve falsifying official data, medical reports, and records related to national and reserve service performance.
According to a statement from the UAE Ministry of Defence, the accused public employees and recruits will be tried before the military judiciary. The Military Attorney General emphasized that anyone found guilty of illegally bypassing service or misusing their position to facilitate such actions will be held accountable.
While the authorities did not disclose the exact number of defendants, an image accompanying the statement showed three individuals—two men and one woman—with their eyes censored.
The Military Attorney General highlighted the importance of national service as a duty and responsibility toward the country, stressing that protecting the integrity of its procedures ensures justice, equality, and the safeguarding of national obligations.
Mandatory Military Service in the UAE
Under Federal Law No. 6 of 2014, all medically fit Emirati men are required to complete mandatory military service. The law allows women to serve voluntarily, regardless of their educational background.
Emirati men who fail to enlist without a valid reason by age 29 face penalties including imprisonment from one month to one year, fines between Dh10,000 and Dh50,000, or both. Additionally, they must complete military service even if they exceed 30 years of age.
The duration of national service varies: 11 months for male recruits with a high school diploma or equivalent, three years for those without, and 11 months for female recruits.
Service may be fulfilled within the UAE Armed Forces, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Interior, State Security Service, or other institutions designated by the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
Postponement and Exemptions
Postponement of national service is permitted under specific conditions, such as being under 29 and enrolled in an educational or training program lasting two years or more, achieving at least a 90% grade average in secondary education, or continuing morning classes after turning 18 without completing secondary education.
Individuals unable to perform national service may engage in alternative administrative, civil, or technical roles for an equivalent duration.
Exemptions apply to sole sons of families, medically unfit individuals, those supporting family members with special needs, and persons serving jail terms, though temporary exemptions may require eventual completion of service.
Benefits for Those Who Serve
Emiratis who complete their mandatory service receive benefits including priority in government and private sector employment, marriage grants, housing plots, and scholarships.
For employed servicemen, the service period counts toward end-of-service and pension benefits. Employers in federal, local, and private sectors are required to temporarily fill positions during service and reinstate employees afterward.