Interpreters at UAE Police and Public Prosecution
The Short Answer
If you are questioned by the police or the Public Prosecution in the UAE — as an accused person, a complainant or a witness — and you do not speak Arabic, the record of what you say will still be written in Arabic. The law’s answer is the interpreter.
Under Article 8 of the UAE Criminal Procedure Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022), all evidence-gathering, investigation and trial procedures are conducted in Arabic, and where a person does not speak Arabic, the police officer, prosecutor or judge may engage an approved or licensed interpreter, or use technical means approved by the Ministry of Justice or the local judicial authority.
This article explains how that works in practice before the case reaches court, and what you can do to make sure your words are recorded correctly. It is general information, not legal advice; if you are accused of an offence, speak to a lawyer.
What Article 8 Says
- Arabic is the language of the record. Fact-finding by the judicial police, investigation by the Public Prosecution and the trial itself are all conducted in Arabic.
- An interpreter for anyone who does not speak Arabic. This covers the accused, witnesses and any other party whose statements are recorded in police reports, Public Prosecution investigation records or trial transcripts.
- Who engages the interpreter. The judicial police officer, the prosecutor or the judge, depending on the stage — from among approved or licensed interpreters, or through technical means approved by the Ministry of Justice or the local judicial authority (for example, remote interpretation).
- Deaf or mute persons. Questions and answers are put in writing; where that is not possible, a sign-language interpreter is engaged.
- Interpreters from other entities. The police, Public Prosecution and court may also use an interpreter from any other entity, after that interpreter takes an oath to perform the task with honesty and sincerity.
Police Station, Prosecution, Court: How the Stages Differ
| Stage | Who records your words | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Police (evidence gathering) | Judicial police officer | Your statement becomes part of the police report sent to the Public Prosecution |
| Public Prosecution (investigation) | Prosecutor and clerk | Witnesses sign each page after the statement is read out to them |
| Court (trial) | Judge and court clerk | The court can rely on the earlier records, so errors made at the start travel |
For hearings held online, see our guide to remote court hearing interpretation.
Practical Steps to Protect Your Statement
- Say at the start that you do not understand Arabic (or do not understand it well enough for a legal interview) and name your language. Do not rely on “some English” if your first language is Urdu, Tagalog, Russian or another language.
- Speak in short passages and let the interpreter finish each one. Long answers are where content gets lost.
- Ask for the statement to be read back to you in your language before you sign. The law requires witnesses before the Public Prosecution to sign each page after the statement is read out in their presence.
- Correct mistakes before signing, especially names, dates, amounts and anything that sounds like an admission you did not make.
- Tell your lawyer if you think something was interpreted wrongly. It is far easier to deal with at the investigation stage than at trial.
Interpreting Is Not the Same as Translating Your Documents
Article 8 is about spoken statements. Documents you want to rely on — contracts, WhatsApp chats, bank statements, medical reports, foreign police records — are a separate matter. Proceedings are in Arabic, and under Federal Decree-Law No. 22 of 2022 on the translation profession, courts accept a translated document only if it was translated by a translator or translation house on the Ministry of Justice list.
So prepare certified Arabic translations of your key documents early, and keep them consistent with how names and amounts appear in your statement. See translating WhatsApp and email evidence for UAE courts and English translation of court papers for foreign parties.
What Makes a Good Legal Interpreter
- Legal terminology in both languages. “Statement”, “confession”, “complaint”, “waiver” and “reconciliation” have precise Arabic counterparts with procedural consequences.
- First-person, complete rendering. A professional interpreter says “I went to the office”, not “he says he went to the office”, and does not summarise or soften.
- Neutrality. The interpreter does not advise, explain the law or take sides; that is your lawyer’s job.
- Confidentiality. Nothing heard in an interview room is repeated outside it.
Do I have the right to an interpreter at a UAE police station?
The Criminal Procedure Law provides that where an accused person, witness or other party does not speak Arabic, the officer, prosecutor or judge may engage an approved or licensed interpreter or approved technical means. Tell the officer at the start that you need one and in which language.
Should I sign a statement written in Arabic that I cannot read?
Ask for it to be read back to you in your language through the interpreter first, and correct any errors before signing. If you have a lawyer, involve them.
Can I bring my own interpreter?
The law lets the police, Public Prosecution and court use an interpreter from another entity once that interpreter takes an oath, but the choice belongs to the authority conducting the procedure. You can ask; your lawyer can raise it.
Are my English documents enough for the Public Prosecution?
Proceedings are in Arabic, so documents you rely on should be translated by an MOJ-listed legal translator. Courts do not accept translations by anyone else.
How SWLT Helps
We provide legal interpreting and certified translation for criminal, civil and family matters across the UAE. Our team works daily in court and prosecution settings under exclusive interpretation contracts with the UAE Federal Courts and the Federal Public Prosecution. For lawyers and clients preparing a case, we translate evidence and correspondence into Arabic, and Arabic records into English so the client understands them. See our legal translation services in the UAE.
Disclaimer
This article is general information about the translation and document side of the matter. It is not legal advice. Laws, procedures and fees change; confirm current requirements with the court or authority concerned and take advice from a lawyer on your own case.
Need an Interpreter or Translation for a Case?
Tell us the language, the stage (police, prosecution or court) and the documents involved. Smart World Legal Translation – Sole Proprietorship L.L.C. (SWLT) is a UAE Ministry of Justice-licensed legal translation company in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, led by Dr. Hani Elimam. Our federal accreditation is accepted across the UAE, including by Dubai Courts, and we hold exclusive interpretation contracts with the UAE Federal Courts and the Federal Public Prosecution. Arabic⇄English legal translation is AED 60 per 200-word page (excl. VAT), with same-day delivery available. Send your documents on WhatsApp (+971 50 864 8439), email info@swlt.ae, or use our contact page.