A school employee was fined Dh2,000 by a Dubai court for taking and sharing unauthorised picture of a female teacher caught sleeping in campus.
The incident took place at a private school during a break between classes, where the teacher was captured dozing off in the teachers’ lounge.
The accused, a colleague of the teacher, who works as an administrator at the school, reportedly took advantage the compromising situation and photographed the teacher – using a mobile phone – without her knowledge. The teacher’s face was clearly visible in the picture.
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Subsequently, the photo was forwarded to the school administration via WhatsApp.
The teacher filed a complaint of invasion of privacy and legal action was initiated. The female employee justified her action as being part of her job.
Guilty and fined
According to a report published in Arabic daily Emarat Al Youm on Saturday, a Dubai court found the female school employee guilty of breaching the teacher’s privacy. The court showed leniency and punished her with a fine of Dh2,000.
The UAE has strict laws against infringing others’ privacy. Posting photographs, videos or making comments on social media that invade someone’s privacy can attract a hefty fine of up to Dh500,000 with six months of imprisonment. This includes taking, sharing, or publishing photos or personal information with the intent to harm.