Al Ain: A young man in the UAE has been ordered by the Al Ain Court for Civil, Commercial, and Administrative Claims to pay Dh70,000 in compensation to a businessman after posting defamatory comments on social media that damaged the reputation of the claimant’s commercial establishment and caused financial losses.
The businessman initially sought Dh200,000 in compensation for material and moral damages, along with court fees and legal expenses, claiming that the defendant’s statements on a social media platform tarnished his business’s reputation and led to a decline in sales.
The defendant had previously been convicted of defamation in a criminal court judgment related to the same matter.
In his defense, he requested the court to dismiss the case or, alternatively, to verify the company’s tax returns for the period in question through the Federal Tax Authority to assess the alleged financial impact.
He also sought to recover his legal costs and submitted supporting documents, including dependent certificates and screenshots of online conversations.
However, the court upheld the previous criminal ruling, confirming the defendant’s guilt in defamation.
Consequently, the court ruled that the defendant must compensate the claimant with Dh70,000, reflecting the damage caused by the defamatory social media comments.
This case underscores the serious legal consequences of posting harmful content online in the UAE.
