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Order to drop Dh2,000 fine on snooping neighbour contested in UAE

Fujairah - The plaintiff said his neighbour (the defendant) has fixed surveillance cameras on his house facade.

The Fujairah Public Prosecution has challenged an appellate court's verdict to quash the Dh2,000 fine slapped on a man earlier convicted of snooping on his neighbour.
As per court records, the case unfolded when a GCC citizen lodged a complaint with the Fujairah Police against his neighbour, also a GCC man.
In his complaint, the plaintiff said his neighbour (the defendant) has fixed surveillance cameras on his house facade, and deliberately directed these towards the front yard of his (plaintiff's) building.
The case was moved to the Fujairah Court of First Instance which found the suspect neighbour guilty and ordered him to pay a fine of Dh2,000. 
The defence lawyer told the court that his client (the defendant) did not have any ill intention and never meant to spy on his neighbour.
"He hired a specialised company to install the surveillance cameras and was not aware that these were directed towards the front yard of the house of his neighbour."
He only discovered it when he was summoned by the police for a complaint lodged by his neighbour.
"When alerted about the complaint, my client immediately changed the direction of the surveillance cameras."
The defence lawyer pointed out that the CCTV cameras were fixed in the front yard of the house of his client.
"They were not hidden and can easily be seen and noticed by anyone."
The Fujairah Court of First Instance turned down the plea of the defence lawyer, and ordered the "snooping" neighbour to pay a fine of Dh2,000.
Being dissatisfied, the defendant approached the Fujairah Federal Sharia Court of Appeal which ruled in his favour and scraped the fine verdict of the lower court.
The Fujairah Public Prosecution, however, contested the judgment.
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com