Court Orders Man To Pay Dh10,000 To Woman Over Online Insults And Threats

The Al Ain Court of Civil, Commercial and Administrative Cases has ordered a man to pay Dh10,000 in compensation to a woman whom he insulted, threatened and bullied through abusive messages sent over the internet.

 

The court’s ruling followed an earlier criminal judgment against the man. The woman subsequently brought a civil claim seeking Dh50,000 in compensation for the material and moral harm she said she had suffered as a result of the insults, threats, bullying and contempt. She also sought reimbursement of court fees, costs and legal expenses.

 

According to the case details, the woman alleged that the man had sent her messages containing abusive expressions that damaged her dignity and reputation. She told the court that the conduct had already been established in a previous criminal case in which the man was convicted.

 

After considering the case and the evidence before it, the civil court awarded the woman Dh10,000 in compensation rather than the Dh50,000 she had sought.

 

UAE Law Protects Reputation Online

 

The case highlights the potential criminal and civil consequences of using digital platforms to insult, threaten or damage another person’s reputation in the UAE.

 

Under Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Countering Rumours and Cybercrimes, Article 43 provides that a person who uses an information network, information technology or an information system to insult another person, or attribute to them a quality that could expose them to punishment or contempt by others, may face imprisonment and/or a fine of between Dh250,000 and Dh500,000.

 

The legislation therefore treats online defamation and insults as matters that can attract significant criminal penalties, particularly where the conduct falls within the statutory definition of defamation or slander.

 

The same law separately addresses cyber threats. Article 42 provides penalties for using an information network or information technology to threaten or extort another person to force them to act or refrain from acting. Depending on the nature of the threat, the penalties can be substantially more severe.

 

Civil Compensation For Moral Harm

 

Criminal liability is separate from the right of an injured person to seek compensation through civil proceedings.

 

The UAE’s new Civil Transactions Law, Federal Decree by Law No. 25 of 2025, came into force on June 1, 2026, replacing the previous Civil Transactions Law.

 

Article 254 of the new law expressly recognises moral harm. It provides that liability includes moral damage and identifies infringement of a person's freedom, honour, reputation, social standing or financial status as forms of moral harm.

 

The provision gives a legal basis for claims arising from conduct that causes non-financial injury to a person's reputation or dignity. The compensation awarded is not necessarily linked to a direct financial loss; the court can consider the nature and extent of the moral harm when determining the appropriate amount.

 

Article 255 further provides that compensation is assessed according to the extent of the loss suffered and loss of profit where such loss is a natural consequence of the harmful act.

 

In cases involving insults or reputational damage, this framework allows the civil court to consider the personal and social consequences of the conduct when determining compensation.

 

Criminal Conviction Can Support Civil Claim

 

The earlier criminal proceedings were also significant in the Al Ain case.

 

Under Article 269 of the UAE Criminal Procedures Law, a final criminal judgment of conviction or acquittal on the merits has binding force before civil courts concerning the occurrence of the offence, its legal characterisation and the person who committed it, subject to the conditions set out in the law.

 

This means that where a final criminal judgment has already established the underlying offence and the identity of the perpetrator, those findings can have an important effect when a related compensation claim is subsequently considered by a civil court.

 

The civil proceedings can then focus on the consequences of the established conduct, including whether the claimant suffered compensable material or moral harm and, where appropriate, the amount of compensation.

 

Online Messages Can Carry Legal Consequences

 

The case also illustrates the potential risks associated with sending abusive messages through digital channels.

 

Insults made privately through messages do not automatically fall outside UAE cybercrime legislation simply because they are not published publicly. The relevant circumstances, wording, method of communication and legal classification of the conduct will determine which provisions may apply.

 

Where online communications amount to threats, additional provisions may also become relevant. The cybercrime law separately regulates threats and cyberextortion, with penalties depending on the nature and purpose of the conduct.

 

For individuals using messaging applications, social media platforms or other digital services, the case serves as a reminder that electronic communications can form the basis of both criminal proceedings and subsequent civil claims.

 

In the Al Ain case, the woman had sought Dh50,000, but the court ultimately fixed compensation at Dh10,000. The ruling demonstrates that compensation is determined by the court according to the circumstances and evidence of each case rather than through an automatic fixed tariff for insults or reputational harm.