Photo for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

​​Abu Dhabi: Man fined Dh250,000 after sending abusive messages to cousin

Following an altercation, a young man insulted and sent abusive comments to his cousin via social media. The court fined the man Dh250,000, followed by deportation. According to court documents, the defendant and his relative had family conflicts that led to a heated altercation. The individual then used social media to send rude and disparaging remarks to his relative. His cousin then went to the authorities and submitted the evidence. Prosecutors conducted an investigation and charged the individual with breaking cyber laws. He was referred to the Al Ain Court of First Instance, which convicted him based on prosecutors' evidence. According to Article 43 of Federal Decree-Law No. (34) of 2021 regarding the Law on Combating Rumors and Electronic Crimes, insulting and slandering through social media platforms is a severe crime punishable by imprisonment and a fine of not less than Dh250,000 and not more than Dh500,000, or one of these two penalties. If the insult or slander is committed against a public employee or someone assigned to a public service on occasion or because of the performance of his job, this is considered an aggravating circumstance for the crime, pointing to the ease with which cybercrime can be proven. Additionally, the aggrieved party has the right to seek compensation for the damages sustained under Article 282 of the Civil Transactions Law because any harm done to the other obligates the offender, even if he is not discerning, to guarantee the harm. BKM/ Expat Media
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