Abu Dhabi court orders woman to pay Dh10,000 for insulting another

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Cases Court has ordered a woman to pay Dh10,000 in moral and emotional damages to another woman after she was found guilty of insulting and defaming her in a previous criminal case.

Court documents revealed that the plaintiff filed a civil lawsuit seeking Dh51,000 in compensation for material, moral, and psychological harm resulting from the offence.

She argued that the defendant’s actions — confirmed by a final criminal judgment upheld on appeal — caused her distress, humiliation, anxiety, and depression, for which she continues to receive treatment.

In its ruling, the court cited Article 282 of the UAE Civil Transactions Law, which states that “any harm caused to another obliges the perpetrator, even if not fully competent, to provide compensation.”

The court noted that the criminal judgment conclusively proved the defendant had insulted and verbally abused the plaintiff, violating her dignity and emotional well-being.

Considering the nature of the offence and its psychological impact, the court ruled that Dh10,000 was a fair and sufficient amount to compensate for the moral and emotional harm suffered.