Dubai Man Ordered to Pay Dh80,000 for Defaming Lawyer on Social Media

A Dubai civil court has ordered an Arab national to pay Dh80,000 in compensation to a lawyer after he was found guilty of defaming him on social media by publishing his photograph without consent and attaching remarks deemed insulting, defamatory and a violation of privacy.

The court also directed the removal of the offensive posts and barred the man from using information networks for three months. The ruling was later upheld by both the Court of Appeal and the Court of Cassation, making it final.

The case arose after the lawyer filed a civil claim seeking Dh5 million in compensation for the material and moral damage he said he suffered as a result of the incident.

In addition to the compensation, the court ordered the defendant to pay legal interest at 5 per cent from the date the judgment became final until full settlement, along with court fees, expenses and legal costs.

According to court records, the incident dates back to November 2024, when the defendant posted photographs of the lawyer and others on social media, accusing them of exploiting community figures under the guise of voluntary work. The lawyer then filed a criminal complaint, which resulted in the defendant’s conviction.

The court said the final criminal judgment had conclusively established the offences of insult, defamation and invasion of privacy through information technology, leaving no scope to reargue those facts before the civil court.

It also dismissed the defendant’s challenge to Dubai’s jurisdiction, ruling that compensation claims can be brought before the court where the harm occurred.

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