According to Kotaku, Sony this morning has confirmed the banning of Heavy Rain in the United Arab Emirates.

Statement released by Sony:

The UAE’s National Media Council (NMC) has banned Heavy Rain on PlayStation3. Heavy Rain has an 18+ PEGI rating and has been conceived from the earliest stages as a genuinely adult experience. This means that it deals with strong content including blood and nudity, but treats this content in a mature and sensitive manner. The game is not intentionally controversial or sensationalist, and all the themes and content are consistent with what consumers would expect to see in a mainstream Hollywood thriller.

Currently there has been no detailed explanation from the UAE.