Woman in UAE fined Dh10,000 for verbally insulting another woman

Abu Dhabi: A woman has been fined Dh10,000 for verbally insulting another woman, after an Abu Dhabi court found that the abuse caused psychological and moral harm.

The decision was issued by the Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Claims Court, which found that the defendant’s conduct had undermined the claimant’s dignity and caused emotional distress.

Court documents, according to Emarat Al Youm, show that the claimant filed a civil lawsuit seeking Dh25,000 in damages, as well as legal costs, arguing that she had been subjected to insults and defamatory remarks. 

The defendant had previously been convicted in a criminal case on charges of verbal insult and fined Dh3,000.

To support her claim, the claimant submitted copies of the criminal rulings along with a certificate confirming that the judgments were final and no longer subject to appeal. The defendant, in response, filed a memorandum requesting the dismissal of the civil case.

In its reasoning, the court said the earlier criminal conviction had conclusively established the occurrence of the abuse, its legal classification and the defendant’s responsibility for it, leaving no room to dispute the underlying facts in the civil proceedings.

Addressing the claim for moral and psychological damages, the court referred to the Civil Transactions Law, which states that any person who causes harm to another is obliged to compensate for that damage. 

The court concluded that the defendant’s actions had exposed the claimant to contempt, affected her psychological well-being, and caused pain and distress.

The court therefore ordered the defendant to pay Dh10,000 in compensation and to cover all legal fees and court costs.