UAE Federal Supreme Court Rules Consumers May Film Violations to Report Them

The UAE Federal Supreme Court has ruled that documenting suspected commercial violations and reporting them to competent authorities does not constitute a crime, provided the action is taken in good faith, Gulf News reported. The decision established an important judicial principle distinguishing legitimate consumer reporting from unlawful defamation.

According to court records, the case originated in Sharjah after a consumer discovered insects inside a product displayed for sale at a supermarket. The individual recorded the product on a mobile phone and sent the footage to municipal authorities for investigation. The supermarket subsequently filed a complaint, leading to defamation charges against the consumer.

The Court of First Instance initially acquitted the defendant. However, the Court of Appeal overturned that decision, convicting the consumer, imposing a Dh3,000 fine, and ordering the confiscation of the mobile phone used in the recording.

Upon reviewing the case, the Federal Supreme Court overturned the appellate conviction. The court held that recording video evidence alone is insufficient to establish a criminal offence, as prosecutors must substantiate criminal intent, bad faith, or a deliberate purpose to cause harm. Finding that the consumer recorded the incident solely to alert regulators without intent to defame, the court issued an acquittal.

Legal consultant Mohammed Ali Al Hammadi told Gulf News that while documenting violations for official submission is legally protected, circulating such recordings on social media to damage a company's commercial reputation remains punishable under the law.