The Dubai Court of First Instance has ordered a man to pay Dh20,000 in compensation after being found guilty of insulting another individual through messages posted in a WhatsApp group.
The ruling, delivered in a public session on February 25, 2026, followed a final criminal judgment that convicted the defendant of using information technology to post defamatory and insulting remarks about the claimant.
Court records indicate that the dispute arose from messages sent between June and July 2025, which included offensive comments such as: “Tell him on my behalf that he is stupid…”, “They are all a group of idiots…”, and “We have a common predator.”
In the criminal case, the defendant was fined Dh5,000. The court also ordered the confiscation of the device used, deletion of the offending content, and a three-month ban on using any information network. The criminal judgment became final after no appeal was filed within the legally prescribed period.
Following the criminal conviction, the claimant filed a civil suit seeking Dh1 million in compensation for material and moral damages, along with 9% legal interest from the date of claim until full settlement.
The claimant argued that the offensive messages harmed his professional reputation, caused psychological distress, and resulted in financial losses, including the alleged cancellation of his employment contract.
However, the court noted that the document regarding the cancellation of the claimant’s work permit was dated April 2024, predating the incident, and that insufficient proof was submitted to confirm lost earnings or legal expenses directly linked to the defendant’s actions.
Citing provisions of the civil transactions law, the court affirmed that “any harm caused to another obliges the perpetrator to compensate the damage,” including moral harm affecting reputation, dignity, and social standing. The court also emphasized that final criminal judgments are binding in civil proceedings, preventing the civil court from revisiting established fault.
While the defendant’s actions were deemed unlawful and causing moral damage, the evidence did not support the full extent of claimed material losses. The court therefore awarded Dh20,000 in combined material and moral damages.
The defendant was also ordered to pay 5% annual legal interest from the date the judgment became final until full payment, in addition to court costs and Dh300 in legal fees, consistent with established Dubai Court of Cassation principles.
