In Dubai, petty offenses will no longer be brought to court - they will be replaced with fines.
Starting December 4, the Dubai Prosecutor’s Office will fine people for petty misconduct and misconduct (for example, unpaid bills) without referring such cases to court. Corresponding Decree No. 88 was signed by Dubai Attorney General Essam Eiza Al-Khumaidan.
This decree provides a specific list of offenses, including: late payment of bills (up to 200 thousand dirhams), tax evasion in restaurants, refusal to pay rent for a car or housing (up to 50 thousand dirhams), abuse and slander, suicide attempts and the use of telecommunications in order to disrupt public order.
Prosecutor Mohamad Ali-Rostum said that this measure is a very important and timely step. It will help to remove a large number of obstacles, to cope with the delays faced by the parties. The trial obliges the prosecutor's office to decide on the prosecution of the suspect and transfer the case to court, or dismiss the case.
"This measure will reduce the expectation of the parties to the trial - suspects or victims. First of all, this procedure will save the time of tourists. Dubai is the largest international tourist hub that is visited annually by millions of people, many of whom commit small misconducts. We had several which was attended by tourists who came on vacation in the UAE, but after committing a petty offense, they stayed in the country for weeks, or even months. In some cases, people had to wait on the floor ode ", - said the prosecutor.
“The procedure for imposing a fine reduces the waiting time for guests of the emirate who commit such misconduct, because they will not have to wait until the case is brought to court - if they are guilty, they will pay a fine,” said the prosecutor who preferred not to disclose his name.
