Ignorance of the law is no excuse in UAE

You never know when you will land in trouble. You may be a law-abiding person, but you could easily land in a court: simply because you didn’t know you were doing something illegal. Many of the actions and behaviour, which we deem normal and legitimate, could turn our lives upside down since they run afoul of the law. That is why it’s important to know the laws of the land.

Imagine driving a car on a highway within the speed limit, when a reckless driver pops out of nowhere and starts tailgating you. He soon bullies you by flashing the high beam and honking so that you get out of his way. It’s easy to be provoked by such repulsive behaviour.

If you are smart and vigilant, you would immediately turn on your indicator and move away, giving way to the errant driver. But many of us who are stubborn will refuse to give way; no one likes to be intimidated by a bully. And this leads to road rage.

In the end, you or the reckless driver, or both, might end up behaving in a manner that is punishable by law. You and the errant driver might make indecent gestures (yes, the finger), swear at each other, or even trade punches. All these actions are punishable by law.

Going by the sheer number of road rage cases that turn up in the Dubai Courts, it is safe to assume that most people are ignorant of these laws. And that is enough reason to persuade people to familiarise with the laws governing our everyday activities.

Laws are applied to regulate society, protect lives and preserve freedom. Lawmakers formulate laws for the good of the community and safeguard its members. So it is the responsibility of people to be aware of the laws that govern them.

Laws must be respected; knowing them certainly helps. You don’t have to be a lawyer or a law enforcement officer to know the laws. And you need not have to have their level of legal knowledge. It’s just that awareness helps. If you know the laws that are applicable in your sphere of activity and your everyday life, it will keep you out of court.

I had the shock of my life when I found a former schoolmate, whom I admired for his behaviour and discipline, at the Dubai Courts. He was sitting in a courtroom, waiting for a judge to read out the charges against him. He was being tried for drinking, cursing and punching a clubber in a nightclub.

Defending himself before the judge, the suspect [schoolmate] admitted to consuming liquor but pleaded not guilty to cursing and punching the clubber. He told the judge that the claimant had cursed him and initiated the assault, and he ended up swearing at the clubber and assaulting him in what was described as ‘self-defence’.

Cursing and beating are actions punishable by law. The circumstances are of no significance.

Retaliation is a crime

So who is at fault here? Initially, my schoolmate was the victim. But the moment he retaliated by cursing and hitting the clubber, he too committed a crime.

My schoolmate was convicted and punished.

If he was aware of the laws, he would have called the police and taken legal action against the clubber.

I’ve reported plenty of court cases involving Europeans who flashed their middle fingers in fits of anger. Such gesture may be commonplace in some countries, but not in the UAE. It’s punishable by law. So most of them have been convicted of public indecency and deported.

Just like my schoolmate they could have avoided a day in the court if they had been aware of the laws.

Familiarising oneself with the laws of the UAE is easy. The legal bodies in the country have made all laws accessible to the public through various platforms like websites and portals of courts, prosecution, police, immigration. Pamphlets, handouts and brochures available to visitors warn of legal issues.

All citizens, residents and tourists must acquaint themselves with the laws of the UAE. It will help you. It’s for your good and wellbeing, and most importantly, it will help protect and preserve your rights.

Educational authorities should undertake initiatives to introduce legal courses for students. It could even be a part of the curriculum. That could help instil a commitment to law in the generations to come.

After all, ignorance of the law is no excuse.