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, 41, 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 up to seven years in prison, a huge fine, or both .