Dubai man ordered to pay Dh40,000 over WhatsApp threats

Dubai: An Arab man has been ordered to pay Dh40,000 in compensation to a colleague after being convicted of insulting and threatening him via WhatsApp.

The dispute began as a personal disagreement between two former friends, which escalated into abusive language and threats exchanged through the messaging app. The victim filed an official complaint, prompting a criminal investigation.

Criminal conviction and penalties

Dubai’s misdemeanours court, as reported by Al Khaleej, convicted the defendant of insult and threat. He was fined Dh5,000, had the device used to commit the offence confiscated, and was ordered to delete the offensive messages. The court also referred the related civil claim to the competent civil court.

Civil ruling: Moral damages awarded

In its civil judgment, the Dubai court awarded the complainant Dh40,000 in moral damages, citing the psychological and reputational harm caused by verbal abuse on social media. The defendant was also ordered to pay legal interest at 5% from the date the judgment becomes final until full settlement, in addition to court fees and expenses.

Court’s reasoning

The court emphasised that the criminal conviction’s findings were binding, and the facts established could not be re-litigated in civil proceedings. It concluded that the defendant’s actions constituted proven fault resulting in significant moral damage, affecting the victim’s reputation, dignity, and social standing.

Compensation deemed proportionate

After reviewing the circumstances and extent of harm, the court ruled that Dh40,000 was a fair and proportionate amount to compensate for the emotional distress caused by the offence.