UAE | Crime
Ringing cell phones during court hearings can be confiscated as per law
The Civil Procedure Law says any individual whose cell phone rings during a court hearing might end up being dismissed from the room or have his device confiscated.
- By Bassam Za'za', Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 March 20, 2007
Dubai: Beware if your cell phone rings in a courtroom.
The Civil Procedure Law says any individual whose cell phone rings during a court hearing might end up being dismissed from the room or have his device confiscated.
Lawyer Abdul Rahman Al Emadi, of Horizon Advocates and Legal Consultants, alerted individuals who do not put their phones on 'silent' once inside a courtroom.
"A mobile phone that rings violates the court order and is punishable by the Civil Procedure Law."
The issue surfaced yesterday morning in courtroom chamber 4 when Presiding Judge Abdul Majid Al Nezami seized the cell phone of an Arab individual when it rang.
In another hearing, which was presided by Judge Mounir Fahmi earlier, the panel of judges and a number of lawyers expressed their discomfort when three different ring tones broke out. Two were songs by Lebanese icons Nancy Ajram and Haifa Wehbe and a Bollywood song tune.
Judge Al Nezami who got irritated when a mobile phone started ringing ordered a policeman to confiscate the cell phone. The young individual apologised but the judge insisted on seizing the phone.
Removal
Lawyer Al Emadi told Gulf News: "Article 80 of the Civil Procedure Law No 11 for 1992 which was amended by Law No 30 for 2005, stipulates that if an individual disturbs the court order, a judge has the right to kick him out from the courtroom. If the person refuses to leave, the judge can jail him for 24 hours or fine him/her between Dh1,000 and Dh3,000."
Al Emadi expressed his concern over increasing incidence of this problem. "There are some individuals who unintentionally forget silencing or switching off their cell phones. I have encountered several people who let their devices ring. It has become an irritating problem, which has to be resolved. I agree individuals who do not have etiquette should be thrown out of court," said lawyer Mohammad Al Saadi, of Al Saadi Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Many clients, lawyers and judges have voiced irritation towards some individuals who let their mobiles ring loudly inside the courtroom.
"Keep-your-mobile-phone-switched-off" signs are posted all over the courtrooms' entrances.
Do you find the ringing of mobile phones in places such as the cinema is irritating? Should it be made mandatory that people cannot have loud ring tones?
Your comments
The ringing of mobile phone should not only restricted to the court rooms but also applicable to all the public offices where all walks of people assemble whose attention would be disturbed.
S. Janardhanan
Dubai,UAE
In public places such as courtrooms, cinemas and so on, a "jamming device" may be installed to cut off network access for mobile phones. The system has been in use at some mosques in Tehran.
A. Rahim
Tehran,Iran
Nice decision. They should also implement a law banning mobiles or to keep them silent in mosques, because the ringing of mobiles during prayers is disturbing.
A. Sura
Ajman,UAE
Signal breakers in such areas are the best solutions. With such devices, there will be no more signals received in court rooms, or cinemas.
R. Karkain
Dubai,UAE
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