Jilted Iranian student acquitted by Dubai court of threats to former girlfriend

DUBAI // A student has been acquitted of threatening to defame a teenager who rejected his marriage proposal.

But the Iranian, A S, 22, was convicted by the Criminal Court of issuing insults and using telecommunications to disturb his victim.

The court heard that the defendant met S S, 17, also from Iran, on Facebook last year. The couple fell in love and a few months later A S asked S S’s family for her hand in marriage.

S S told prosecutors: “My mother refused to let us marry because she said I was too young. Besides, she told me he was not from a family that is compatible with ours and asked me to end my relationship with him, so I did.”

She claimed that after the break-up, A S was furious and threatened to slander her by posting photos of her on Facebook.

“He also said that he would speak badly about me and my family if I didn’t go out with him again,” S S said.

She said he continued to send insulting messages to her with slanderous comments about her and her family. Her mother testified that she had seen the abusive messages.

He also continued to phone her for about five months, until she eventually called the police.