The United Arab Emirates has abolished cinema censorship and adopted a 21+ age rating for films

Dubai: The United Arab Emirates has announced that it will no longer censor films released in theatres, the country’s latest effort to strengthen its image as a liberal haven appealing to foreigners.

Instead of removing sensitive scenes that might offend traditional Islamic sensibilities, the Emirati Media Regulatory Authority announced a new 21+ age category for viewers.

“The films will be screened in cinemas in accordance with their international versions,” the authority stated on Twitter.

Censors in the UAE, as in the rest of the Middle East, have long removed scenes from films depicting nudity, homosexuality, sex, and other content deemed inappropriate, resulting in plot holes.

In the federation of seven sheikhdoms, foreigners outnumber locals by nearly nine to one. The tourism-dependent country’s cultural and religious diversity has occasionally clashed with Islamic laws and traditions.

However, this is changing as the country promotes its socially liberal environment in order to attract international workers.

The government has reformed its Islamic legal code, and the weekend will be changed to Saturday-Sunday next year to align with Western businesses and markets.