CAIRO, November 13 - RAPSI. President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has signed a law toughening punishment for the use of the Internet to disturb national security, the country's official media resources reported on Tuesday.

The new law stipulates possible imprisonment for founders and administrators of Internet websites which contain calls for coup d'etats, rebellious protests and unauthorized demonstrations. Anyone who uses information technology to inflict damage on the country's image, the reputation of its president, vice president or ruler of one of the emirates could also face imprisonment.

Criminal liability is also stipulated for appeals to terrorism, collecting funds or stirring up agitation for terrorist activity, and publishing information on the acquisition of weapons, explosive devices or other material which could be used to commit terrorist acts. Causing religious offence, publishing of content which undermines national unity and promoting racism will also be severely punished.

The authorities have also been granted the right to close down websites and other media resources of this kind, as well as confiscate equipment and deport foreigners involved in unlawful activity for which they have already served a sentence.