Woman in UAE files false report, ordered to pay Dh20,000
Woman accuses another of violating privacy and publishing her photographs without consent
Dubai: The Abu Dhabi Civil, Family and Administrative Court has ordered a woman to pay Dh20,000 in compensation to another woman after filing what the court found to be a malicious false report accusing her of photographing and publishing images without consent.
The court ruled that the accusation was made in bad faith, noting the defendant knew there had been no privacy violation. It found the photographs were taken during a public sporting activity by an official committee, with the claimant’s knowledge and consent, and that the claimant herself appeared in the images, giving her the legal right to retain and publish them.
The plaintiff had sought Dh30,000 in material and moral damages, saying the false complaint led to her detention at a police station, payment of bail and legal costs, and caused reputational and psychological harm, Emarat Al Youm reported.
The court said a final criminal judgment clearing the claimant for lack of evidence and citing malicious intent was binding on the civil court in related matters. It found a direct causal link between the false report and the harm suffered, and ordered the defendant to pay compensation, costs and lawyers’ fees.
