Dubai cop acquitted after posting Messi's passport online

DUBAI - A Dubai court of appeal acquitted on Tuesday a policeman jailed one month for posting a video showing Lionel Messi's passport on social media, local media reported.

The man was jailed in February for breaching the Argentine footballer's privacy and for having "abused the telecommunications system."

But he was acquitted after his lawyer appealed the verdict, arguing that his client's action caused no harm to the Barcelona striker, The National daily reported.

The lawyer also said that the officer got the permission of Messi's business manager to shoot the video.

The policeman had pleaded guilty and admitted he was wrong to have uploaded the post of Messi's passport to Snapchat.

The incident occurred in December at Dubai airport, where Messi had landed to attend the Globe Soccer Awards, at which he received the best player award.

The Emirati policeman wanted a photo of himself with the footballer, but was told the star was tired from the flight.

"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," The National quoted the policeman as saying.