A man has been ordered to pay AED 20,000 in damages after the Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Claims Court found him guilty of breaching a woman’s privacy by posting her photos and videos on social media without consent.
According to Khaleej Times, the ruling, issued on October 16, 2025, followed a detailed review of both the criminal and civil aspects of the case. Court documents revealed that the woman filed the lawsuit after the defendant’s online posts caused her emotional distress and damaged her reputation.
The man had earlier been convicted by the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court for violating the woman’s online privacy, with the Court of Appeal upholding the verdict in March. The civil court later determined that while the breach caused moral and psychological harm, compensation must align with the degree of damage suffered.
The plaintiff initially sought AED 50,000, but the court ruled AED 20,000 as fair compensation, noting the absence of significant financial loss or long-term social harm.
The judgment cited Article 282 of the Federal Civil Transactions Law, which mandates compensation for any harm caused to another person, whether intentional or not.
