In line with UAE laws that prohibit ‘mocking and humiliating a public authority’, a man who sent an email to Dubai's transport authority claiming it was "ripping off poor people" has been taken to court.
The Indian, 25, went on trial at Dubai Criminal Court on Sunday. Although he denied committing a crime, he did say that he sent the email to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in April, having apparently failed his driving test.
“Stop ripping off poor people who come from other countries to make a living here," he wrote.
"I was a victim of a driving licence test”.
An Emirati legal researcher from the RTA reported the incident to police after receiving the email.
“I received a copy of the email and was tasked to follow up on it by translating the email and lodging a complaint against the sender with police,” the 32-year-old man said.
Police contacted the man at his home in Jumeirah 3 and was asked to report to a police station. When he failed to show up, he was arrested on August 2.
During questioning, the man admitted to sending the email using his iPhone, which was confiscated and referred to the criminal laboratory.
The offence can be dealt with a fine or up to three years in jail.
“I’m not guilty,” he said.
“I was just trying to explain what happened with me.”
The next hearing is scheduled for December 5.
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