A civil court in Dubai has ordered an Arab man to pay his ex-wife Dh50,000 in compensation for emotional harm caused by abusive WhatsApp messages, after he was earlier convicted in a criminal case of insult and defamation.
Court records showed the woman filed a civil lawsuit seeking Dh75,000 in damages, claiming the messages attacked her honor and dignity and used offensive language against her and her family.
The man had already been fined Dh3,000 by a misdemeanour court after being found guilty, a ruling that became final when he accepted the verdict and paid the penalty.
The civil court reduced the compensation to Dh50,000, which it said was fair to cover her emotional suffering. Her lawyer, Dr. Alaa Nasr, said the ruling underscored the risks of using digital platforms to harm another person’s dignity and reputation.
