Abu Dhabi court fines woman AED 51,000 for insulting colleague via WhatsApp voice message

The Abu Dhabi Criminal Court has ordered a woman to pay a fine of AED 30,000 and temporary compensation of AED 21,000 for insulting a former colleague through a voice message on WhatsApp.

The decisive ruling by the Abu Dhabi court once again highlights the concept of digital responsibility in the UAE, demonstrating that the country’s cybercrime laws provide a strict deterrent against any infringement on the dignity of others through digital platforms.

According to the case files, the incident began with an unanswered phone call. After the plaintiff was unable to respond to repeated calls from her friend, she was targeted by a WhatsApp voice message containing harsh insults and profanity.

Those few seconds of recorded audio, which the sender viewed as a mere momentary emotional outburst, became undeniable evidence. The vocal reprimand crossed a fine line, ending a long-standing professional relationship and placing the sender in direct violation of UAE cybercrime laws.

During the investigation, the defendant expressed surprise that a personal dispute had escalated into a criminal case. She justified sending the voice message as an attempt to remind her colleague about the ignored calls, claiming that given their friendship, she had no malicious intent to humiliate the plaintiff.

However, the court did not consider psychological motives or the nature of the personal relationship between the parties, focusing instead on the explicit language used and the resulting harm. The court emphasized that the law does not exempt individuals from responsibility based on personal relationships, particularly when clear insults are recorded via technological tools.

The verdict serves as a reminder that momentary lapses on messaging platforms can carry heavy legal and financial consequences.

The defendant paid a significant price for a momentary impulse that lasted only a few seconds, bearing full legal responsibility for her actions.

Authorities have repeatedly urged residents to exercise caution and maintain decorum when communicating online or using messaging applications, as digital records can serve as conclusive evidence in cybercrime cases.