Emirati 'biker bride' wants justice after social media abuses

Top Stories

Emirati biker bride wants justice after social media abuses
Nadia Al Hussain received insults and death threats on social media after her wedding day bike ride. - Courtesy: Youtube

Abu Dhabi - Both Nadia and Salem's families are supporting the young couple.

by

Silvia Radan

  • Follow us on
  • google-news
  • whatsapp
  • telegram

Published: Tue 5 Apr 2016, 6:46 PM

Bombarded with insults and death threats over a video clip posted online, an Emirati newly-wed couple had no other way, but to reach out to authorities.
Nadia Al Husni, the Emirati bride, who has filed complaint against 35 social media users for defamation, has told Khaleej Times that she just wants justice.
After posting a video on You Tube last month of her wedding, Nadia and Salem Al Muraikhi received abusive comments and even death threats for daring to do something different.
Following a traditional wedding, Nadia and Salem, both members of the Emirates Riders biking group, celebrated their wedding with a bike ride with friends from the group.
The bride and the groom, along with over 60 bikers from UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Germany rode their Harley-Davidsons from Al Raha Beach Hotel in Abu Dhabi to Dubai, where a wedding reception was arranged for them.
They employed a professional video making company from Jordan to make a documentary film about their biking wedding, which they posted on You Tube.
While many have praised the couple for "daring" to do something different, others felt breaking the norm means breaking with Emirati traditions and responded to the video with insulting comments.
Eventually, Nadia had enough and filed complaints against 35 offenders, two of them, a biker from their group and a media personality having a court appearance on April 17.
"The death threats and insults have died down. We still have some, but not as much as we used to," said Nadia.
"After opening the court case, everyone is worried, so they are writing now that we have committed no crime and we broke no law."
Only one member from the Emirates Riders sent them abusive comments, and according to Nadia, he was one of the worst offenders.
"He wrote a poem which he published on social media, in which he said that everyone who attended our wedding should go to hell. This was insulting, highly offensive.
"We had people from all over the Emirates, from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan at our wedding," she added.
"Everyone from the group was very upset with him and now he is out; he is alone."
Both Nadia and Salem's families are supporting the young couple, not only for having a bike ride wedding celebration, but their passion for bikes in general.
"What I expect is apologies from those who insulted and threatened us, and also punishment. They need to learn what they did was wrong. Anything that comes from the law will be good," she told Khaleej Times.
silvia@khaleejtimes.com


More news from