ABU DHABI // A man should not be held accountable for insulting UAE leaders online because he suffers from bipolar disorder, his lawyer has said.
Omani MSR, 31, is on trial in the Federal Supreme Court on charges of publishing harmful materials on social media.
His lawyer, Saeed Al Zahmi, said his social media accounts have been closed since 2013, and there was no need to create an issue.
Mr Al Zahmi said M S R suffers from bipolar disorder which caused him to “act irresponsibly”.
“In short, the medical reports show that the defendant has a mental problem and causes him to unconsciously act in a harmful way, and he had written the online posts in a state of unconsciousness and he has a history of suicide attempts,” he said.
Mr Al Zahmi argued his client had not meant to disrupt the peace of the UAE or ruin “the brotherly relations with the Sultanate of Oman”.
“These are just testimonies with no clear or hard evidence to be used again the defendant,” he said.
Judge Falah Al Hajeri allowed the defendant to also state his requests in the presence of his lawyer.
“I require medical needs that I am not getting in prison. I have a syndrome and I request that a medical practitioner follows up with me and watches over my required dosage of medication. I am tired of the fluctuations, I am very depressed and have trouble sleeping,” the defendant said, requesting to also be moved to a medical facility for treatment and follow-up.
He also said he was young when the posts were published and they had only been “confessions of a poet”.
Judge Al Hajeri requested the prosecution contact the hospital responsible for MSR’s case to prepare a final report on his medical, mental and emotional condition and to find a specialist to follow up and supervise him.
The case was adjourned until October 19.
aalkhoori@thenational.ae
