Two men were ordered to compensate a woman for moral and psychological harm after being convicted of filming her private content and using it to threaten and blackmail her
Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Court has ordered two young men to jointly pay a woman Dh20,000 in compensation for moral and psychological damages after they were criminally convicted of filming private material belonging to her and using it to threaten and blackmail her.
The woman filed a lawsuit seeking Dh150,000 in compensation for material, moral and psychological damages resulting from the defendants’ actions.
According to court documents, the woman said the first defendant, in agreement with and incited by the second defendant, violated her privacy by secretly filming her and obtaining visual materials without her knowledge or consent. She said the defendants later used the material to pressure and threaten her.
The claimant stated that the first defendant used WhatsApp and electronic accounts to send messages containing threats, psychological pressure and hints about revealing matters related to her private life. She said the messages included references to disclosing private information, videos and personal matters to others.
She also told the court that the first defendant used her private videos to threaten and blackmail her by warning that they would be published or shared with members of her family and acquaintances.
The woman said the defendant had sent video clips to her former husband from a phone number registered in his name.
She pointed out that the two defendants had already been convicted in a criminal case and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for three years. The court also ordered their deportation, confiscated their mobile phones and ordered them to pay criminal case expenses.
In its ruling, the court stated that the mistake established in the final criminal judgment was the same conduct on which the civil claim was based, meaning the elements of civil liability had been established.
The court found that the defendants’ actions caused the woman psychological pain and emotional distress, resulting in moral and psychological damages that justified compensation.
However, the court rejected her claim for material damages, stating that she had failed to provide evidence demonstrating actual financial losses.
The court ultimately ordered the defendants to jointly pay the claimant Dh20,000 in compensation, in addition to court fees and expenses, while rejecting all other claims.
Source: Emirates 24|7