Ras Al Khaimah court jails, fines duo for exchanging insults and threats on TikTok

Ras Al Khaimah Court of First Instance sentenced a man to three months and fined another Dhs1,000 after convicting them of exchanging insults, threats and harassment and misusing means of communication and information technology via a live broadcast on Tik Tok app.

Earlier, a personal dispute erupted between the defendants, which developed into a public altercation during a live broadcast seen by a number of users of the app, during which the two parties exchanged insults and abuse, while one of them made a death threat using a throat-slitting gesture during the broadcast.

The court stated that it had personally reviewed the video clips attached to the documents and was assured of the words and signals they contained, considering that using social media platforms for abuse and threats took them out of the legitimate purpose for which they were created and constituted crimes punishable by law.

It explained that the second defendant was more impulsive and provocative, as he not only exchanged insults, but also used the throat-slitting gesture, which traditionally carried a clear indication of a threat to take a life, which the court considered a threat to kill using information technology.

It also found that the first defendant had also committed criminal acts by directing insults, threats and harassment at the other party, stressing that provocation did not justify responding to insults with insults or threats with threats and that each defendant bore criminal responsibility for his actions independently.

The court concluded by slapping the first defendant with a fine of Dhs1,000 and sentencing the second defendant to three months in jail while obligating each of them to pay the incurred court fees.