Legal consultant Dr. Hasan Elhais, from Al Rowaad Advocates, underscored the potential severity of the penalties for violations of privacy laws. He emphasized the importance of respecting privacy, a fundamental human right protected by the law, stating, "The law criminalising assault on private and family life contributes to reinforcing society's confidence in the justice system and guarantees individuals can live safely and freely without fear of their privacy being violated." Following this, the Public Prosecution in Abu Dhabi has initiated an investigation into an incident that appears to exemplify the violation of privacy laws in the country. An unidentified Arab woman is alleged to have insulted an author during a live-streamed video at a book fair. The woman, accused of infringing upon the author's privacy without consent, could face severe repercussions, including incarceration and fines up to Dh500,000 ($136,160), reflecting the UAE's stringent laws against defamation on information networks.
In my column this week in The National newspaper, I answer a reader who has been targeted by a third party claiming to have evidence his wife is being unfaithful - however, the photos sent by the man as 'proof' show a different woman. The person is now sharing this information with the reader's friends and he would like to know what legal options he has to stop this. I explain the UAE's Cyber Crime Law makes the act of electronic defamation punishable by a fine of up to Dh500,000 or a prison term. I advise the reader to first file a case with Dubai Police's Electronic Crime Department who will launch an investigation into the matter.
The National newspaper reports on the successful defence of my client after he was charged by police with issuing an insult. The American supervisor allegedly made a comment over WhatsApp to a black employee that invoked the man's race. The employee, a fighter jet engineer, made a complaint about the message he received on April 21, 2018. However, I successfully defended my client on the basis that the man waited for more than three months to make a complaint to police about the message's content. The case was dismissed by the Abu Dhabi Court of First Instance.
WhatsApp users beware, swearing at someone on the mobile messaging app in the United Arab Emirates could land you with a jail sentence and or a fine as high as $68,000 (Dh250,000), as Dr Hassan Elhais explained in the below Al Arabiya News report.
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