An Indian salesman is facing seven years in prison and a fine of up to one million dirham - around £186,000 - for allegedly cursing Islam and the Prophet Mohammad on Facebook . The 41-year-old man - identified only by his initials S.G. - is said to have posted a 'blasphemous ' status on his Facebook page after watching a news bulletin about the war in Iraq on television last July . If found guilty , the suspect could face up to seven years in jail , a fine of between Dh250,000 to Dh1 million , or both . The Indian salesman faces imprisonment after he allegedly shared a 'blasphemous ' status on his Facebook page . He told police he was sent the image over Whatsapp , but allegedly then admitted to posting the status . The 41-year-old is accused by the prosecution of posting the derogatory statements about Islam and the Prophet Mohammad after watching a news item about the Iraq war , pictured , in July last year . Lawyers for the prosecution said the man abused the social media network - namely Facebook - and the telephone communication system by cursing the Prophet and Islam , according to Gulf News . They are now looking for the toughest punishment possible under the country 's cyber-crime laws . Islam is the official religion of the United Arab Emirates , and committing blasphemy is considered deeply offensive . Authorities in the country routinely censor newspapers and books that they consider contain blasphemous statements or anything critical of Islam . In the latest case , the accused salesman claimed he received the offending image over Whatsapp while he was at home . He then complained to police that he had receiving the image - but is reported to have later admitted to prosecutors that he was the one who posted the status on Facebook . The Indian employee , known only by his initials S.G. , failed to attend the hearing at the Dubai Court of First Instance on Monday . The United Arab Emirates treats blasphemy as a serious criminal offence . The defendant apparently told prosecutors that he wrote the 'blasphemous ' curses after watching video footage about the way in Iraq . His IPhone was seized and sent to a laboratory for forensic examination , and lawyers said the mobile was registered to the indian man 's name . The accused failed to attend the Dubat Court of First Instance on Monday , and presiding judge Abdul Lat adjourned the case until the next hearing on April 27 . In 2011 British tourist Andrew Graham ended up in court in Dubai after he called the Islamic prophet Mohammad a 'terrorist ' during an argument in a shopping centre .
Indian man , up to seven years , accused of posting insulting status about Islamic Prophet . Allegedly told police he wrote the status after watching footage of Iraq War . If found guilty he faces 41 in prison , a huge fine , or both .