An Arab woman is on trial at the Sharjah Misdemeanour Court for sending an e-mail with the word “rude” to a co-worker, local media reported.
The accused had a misunderstanding with a colleague, who filed the case as she was offended with the word “rude” which has different meanings in Arabic and English.
The plaintiff said she was offended because “rude” could mean “a promiscuous woman” in Arabic. The defendant argued that she used the word as it means “unpleasant and strong” in English.
The definition and translation of the word came from an accredited office of the Ministry of Justice. The Public Prosecutor’s Office also recommended that language experts and authorities be consulted.
Under Article 20 of Federal Law No. 5 of 2012, insulting others or attributing to an incident that makes other react with contempt through electronic means is a crime punishable by imprisonment or a fine of Dh250,000 to Dh500,000.
The court may also deport a convicted foreigner under UAE’s Federal Law.
