Abu Dhabi: A prominent social media influencer in Abu Dhabi was fined more than Dh300,000 by the Abu Dhabi Court of Misdemeanours, for using abusive language online against another Emirati fashionista, popularly known as “Kashoona”.
The court also ordered him to Dh21,000 as temporary civil compensation to Kashoona, along with court fees, and to delete all video clips and shut down his social media account for two months.
In the recorded video, the accused said that a GCC national is the first Emirati woman to drive in another GCC country, after that nation permitted women to drive, but he hurled abuses at the woman and used inappropriate language against her.
The accused posted the video on his Instagram account, telling his followers that the video is real and that he recorded and posted it himself. The woman targeted in his video then filed a complaint against him.
Later, the police verified the authenticity of the video, finding it on his mobile phone and social media account.
Abeer Al Dahmani, lawyer of the complainant, was in court on Wednesday when the judge pronounced its decision. She presented documents and claimed that the accused’s abusive behaviour damaged her client’s reputation and standing, causing her physical and financial loses. It severely affected her popularity among her followers, the lawyer said.
“My client is a well-known personality and circulating abusive videos badly hampered her name and honour,” she said.
Court documents showed that the accused posted the video on his Instagram account on June 26.
After Saudi Arabia announced its decision allowing women to drive, Kashoona participated in celebrations as the first Emirati woman to drive a car in Saudi Arabia. She was among a large number of celebrities from several countries who attended. The defendant recorded the offending video and posted it on Instagram a few days later.
