A Dubai policeman has been court sentenced to one month in prison for posting a video showing Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi's passport on social media, local media reported on Monday.
The Gulf News daily reported on its website that the policeman, identified only by his initials J.J., was criticised in particular for having "abused the telecommunications system".
The policeman pleaded guilty and admitted he was wrong to have uploaded the post of Messi's passport to Snapchat via his smartphone.
The incident took place at Dubai airport in December where Messi landed to attend the seventh edition of the Globe Soccer Awards, in which he received the prize of best team and best player, local dailies said.
The Emirati policeman wanted a photo of himself with the Argentinian footballer but was told the star was tired from the flight, the National daily reported.
"I then went to the passport control desk and noticed that Messi's passport had been left there, so I picked it up and shot a video of myself while holding it," it quoted the policeman as saying.
He posted the video on the Snapchat application and wrote: "This is Messi's (passport), he is here in Dubai, what do I do? Shall I burn the passport or just put it back! Ok Ok you can go!"
