Q: Hello, I was at the gym in my apartment building and had an argument with a woman about listening to music loudly, etc. The conversation became a bit heated. At the end, I was laughing at her because she was screaming, dancing, and making some moves. She was offended by this and grabbed her phone to start filming me. I kindly asked her to stop filming me as it is not allowed without my consent, but she ignored me. She then went to the security guard and complained about my behavior, stating that I was shouting at her and harassing her, which was untrue. The security guard could not find any evidence of wrongdoing on the video, but still gave me a warning, likely because they are from the same ethnicity. I am unsure if she has shared the video on social media and I want to know if there is a possibility of taking legal action.

Q: Hi. What are the implications of a false sexual harassment case for the complainant?

Q: I am here on a tourist visa. A UAE local who is a sponsor of a company owned by my boss has had a falling out. I am not connected to this business in any way. However, because I am connected with the foreign investor, the local has opened a criminal case against me. The allegations are completely unfounded, however, I am currently awaiting the prosecutor's verdict. I have a travel ban and my passport is being held by the police. Once found innocent, can I claim defamation of character and claim my losses, holidays missed, lost business in my home country as I have not been able to return and tarnish my reputation?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, A harassment case was filed at the police station at my request. The perpetrator is currently in custody based on the police's investigation. The police attempted to bring me to the station to resolve the issue between me and the perpetrator, but I was unable to attend due to time constraints as I had a scheduled flight back to my home country on the same day. I plan to return to Dubai within the same month and believe that the perpetrator's current detention will be sufficient punishment until my arrival. Question: Do I have the right to request reimbursement for my lost flight ticket and taxi expenses incurred while opening the case, as I intend to close the case upon my arrival before it is referred to the court?"

An interview-format article covering the topic of harassment in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

This Law promulgates the Federal Penal Code (Criminal Law) of the United Arab Emirates. Crimes and chastisement punishments shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of this Law and other penal codes.

The law promulgates UAE Criminal Procedural Law (Penal Procedures Law) which governs criminal procedures in the UAE. This law applies to the procedures relating to offences whose punishments are not specified, dogma and punitive offences, and blood money, if they do not violate the Sharia rules.

The provisions of this Federal Decree-Law No. (31) of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law, known as the "New UAE Penal Code", governs criminal actions in the United Arab Emirates. The New Penal Code repeals the previous UAE Penal Code (Federal Law No. (3) of 1987 Promulgating the Penal Code).