Man fined, told to pay Dhs40,000 for WhatsApp abuse in Dubai

The Misdemeanor Court in Dubai fined an Arab Dhs5,000, along with confiscating the device used to commit the crime, after he threatened and insulted another Arab via the WhatsApp application.

The court ordered the deletion of the insulting and threatening phrases and referred the civil case to the competent court.
According to the case file, the Civil Court in Dubai issued a ruling for compensation of Dhs40,000 in favour of the Arab, confirming that the moral damage resulting from verbal abuse via social media requires legal compensation, with a 5% legal interest calculated.

The details of the case date back to the time when a dispute broke out between two Arab friends, which later developed into an exchange of insulting phrases and threats via WhatsApp, prompting the victim to file an official complaint.

Investigations and the criminal trial resulted in a conviction ruling, which included a fine and confiscation of the tool used in the incident, with the civil aspect referred to the competent court.

During the civil case hearing, the court confirmed that the insult and threat were proved and resulted in severe moral damage, which requires compensation according to the provisions of the Civil Transactions Law.

After assessing the extent of the damage and the circumstances surrounding the incident, the court fined the defendant Dhs40,000 as compensation for moral harm, with a 5% legal interest calculated from the date the ruling became final until payment, in addition to fees and expenses.