Court Orders Dh40,000 Penalty for Man Who Secretly Filmed Family in Café

A man has been ordered to pay a total of Dh40,000 after secretly photographing a family inside an Al Ain café and posting the images on social media. The Al Ain Civil, Commercial and Administrative Court awarded Dh30,000 in compensation to the plaintiff, in addition to a Dh10,000 fine earlier imposed by the criminal court for the same incident.

Case records show that the plaintiff filed a civil claim seeking Dh50,000, arguing that the defendant had breached his family’s privacy by taking their photos in a public coffee shop and sharing them online without permission.

The criminal court had already convicted the defendant of using a smartphone to unlawfully invade the privacy of others and fined him Dh10,000. In the civil proceedings, the defendant sought dismissal of the claim, but the court held that the criminal conviction was final and formed the basis for civil liability.

The civil court found that photographing the family without consent and posting the images on social media amounted to a clear violation of privacy. It ruled that the family had suffered psychological harm, embarrassment, anxiety and reputational damage among relatives and acquaintances.

Having established liability, harm and causation, the court ordered the defendant to pay Dh30,000 in compensation, along with court fees and expenses, while rejecting the remaining claims.