UAE man fined AED10,000 for touching female coworker's face

In the UAE, an Arab employee was sued by his female colleague, who accused him of inappropriately touching her face and disrespecting her modesty. 

A local court ordered the suspect to pay AED10,000 for this offense.

According to local media in the Emirates, the case was heard in the Dubai Civil Court.

The woman stated in her testimony that during work, when she was left alone, the accused colleague approached her and placed his hands on her cheeks for 10 seconds.

She testified that the unexpected action left her speechless and severely affected her ability to work. 

The victim maintained that the incident deeply disturbed her mentally, rendering her unable to focus on her job for at least 20 days.

The female employee filed a criminal report against her colleague with the Public Prosecution, charging him with “assaulting a female in a manner that offended her modesty by word or deed in a public place.”

Initially, the woman complained to the company's management, and the employee responded by saying the woman was the same age as his daughter and that he considered the cheek touch to be normal.

The woman sought damages of AED51,000 for the incident, which she claimed left her psychologically unsettled, and also requested compensation for legal proceedings. She demanded 5 percent interest in the event of non-payment of damages.

However, the Court of First Instance imposed a fine of AED2,000 on the male employee. Unsatisfied with the judgment, the woman approached the criminal court, seeking an increase in the amount of damages.

The criminal court rejected the civil court's ruling and determined that the woman's modesty was indeed affected by the act, causing her psychological distress.

As a result, the accused was ordered to pay a fine of AED10,000.