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Up to Dh500,000 fine: UAE authority warns residents against insulting, swearing at others online

The UAE has zero tolerance for such offensive behaviour; even calling someone 'idiot' or 'stupid' can land one in legal trouble

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The UAE has strict laws in place to keep peace and order even in the cyber world — where it is easy for anyone to type in insults and offensive language. In its latest advisory, the country's Public Prosecution warned residents that slander is a serious crime punishable by hefty fines.

Swearing at others, hurling insults, or damaging one's reputation on online platforms is an offence that can get one penalised for Dh250,000 to Dh500,000, the authority said.

The punishment could even be "heavier" if the victim is a public sector employee or anyone in public service, according to the law (Article 43 of the Federal Decree Law No. 34 of 2021).

The UAE has zero tolerance for such offensive behaviour. In fact, there had been cases in the past when a man got jailed and fined Dh20,000 for calling his wife "idiot" in a WhatsApp message.

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