E-Paper
Sign In
Abu Dhabi court fines woman Dh30,000 over insulting WhatsApp voice note
The defendant admitted to sending the voice note out of frustration after her calls were ignored, but the court ruled the explicit language violated cybercrime laws
- PUBLISHED: Wed 8 Jul 2026, 3:26 PM
A woman has been fined Dh30,000 and ordered to pay Dh21,000 in temporary compensation by the Criminal Court after being convicted of insulting a former colleague via a WhatsApp voice note.
The Abu Dhabi court’s decisive verdict reinforces the concept of “digital responsibility” in the UAE, affirming that cybercrime legislation provides a strict deterrent against any infringement of others' dignity through digital means.
Recommended For You
According to case files, the incident began with an unanswered phone call. The complainant, unable to answer her friend’s repeated calls, soon became the target of a WhatsApp voice message laden with harsh insults and profanity.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Those few seconds of audio, which the sender intended as a momentary emotional vent, became irrefutable material evidence. The recorded reproach crossed a thin line, severing a long-standing professional bond and placing the sender in direct violation of the UAE cybercrime laws.
During the investigative process, the defendant appeared visibly stunned that a personal grievance had escalated into a criminal case. She justified the recording as an attempt to admonish her colleague for being ignored, asserting that there was no malicious intent to disparage her, given their history of friendship.
However, the scales of justice weighed the explicit language used and the resulting harm, looking past psychological motives or the nature of their personal history. The court maintained that the law does not exempt individuals based on personal relationships when explicit insults are documented through technological means.
The ruling serves as a reminder to residents that momentary lapses of judgment on messaging platforms can carry severe legal and financial consequences.
The defendant paid a heavy price for an impulse lasting only seconds, thereby bringing her under the full weight of legal accountability.
Authorities have consistently urged residents to exercise caution and maintain decorum when communicating online or via messaging apps, as digital records can serve as definitive evidence in cybercrime proceedings.
Ruqayya Alqaydi is a Special Correspondent with an endless curiosity to learn. Like a journalist on a caffeine overdrive, she is fuelled by passion and on a mission to uncover every gem in the UAE.