Court Fines Man for Filming and Posting Image Without Consent
Defendant also ordered to delete Snapchat account and barred from internet use for six months over privacy breach.
Staff WriterJan 23, 2026, 10:50 AMAn Abu Dhabi court has ordered a man to pay Dh25,000 in compensation for violating another person’s privacy by filming him and sharing the image online without consent.
In a judgment delivered on January 6, the Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Court ruled in favour of the plaintiff after a criminal court had earlier convicted the defendant of taking a photograph of him in a public place and posting it on Snapchat without permission.
Court records show that the plaintiff said the incident caused him emotional distress and reputational harm, alleging that he became a subject of suspicion and contempt at his workplace and among relatives and peers. He sought Dh50,000 in compensation, along with court costs and legal fees, after attempts to settle the matter amicably failed.
The civil court examined documents submitted by the plaintiff, including a ruling issued by the Abu Dhabi Public Prosecution on February 7, 2025, which found the defendant guilty of photographing and publishing personal images without consent. That criminal judgment awarded provisional compensation of Dh20,000 to the plaintiff, ordered the deletion of the defendant’s Snapchat account, and prohibited him from using the internet for six months.
The ruling was upheld by the Abu Dhabi Appeals Prosecution on August 27, 2025, and a certificate issued on November 4, 2025, confirmed that no further appeal had been filed.
In assessing civil liability, the court held that the plaintiff had suffered moral damages and fixed total compensation at Dh25,000. This included an additional Dh5,000 for moral harm over and above the Dh20,000 provisional compensation granted by the criminal court.
However, the court rejected the claim for financial damages, stating that there was insufficient evidence to prove that the defendant’s actions resulted in any material financial loss.
The defendant was also ordered to pay court costs, expenses and attorney’s fees, while all other claims were dismissed.
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