UAE legal Q&A: Penalty for breaking law by eating in public

What are the penalties if you eat and drink in public during the hours of daylight during Ramadan?

According to article 313 of the Federal Penal Code, the punishment for eating or drinking during daytime in the holy month is a maximum Dh2,000 fine or a maximum of one-month imprisonment. “This action is prohibited by the law under the offence against religious faith and rituals. The law applies to Muslim and non-Muslim, male or female,” Maj Ibrahim Ali Al Shihi, director of the Criminal Investigation Department at Ajman Police, said. “If they (offenders) are visitors to the UAE for the first time, we advise them and make them aware that we don’t do that during Ramadan in public. But if the person is a resident in the UAE for a long time, we make a report and transfer the case to the public prosecution.” Maj Al Shihi said that officers rarely arrested people for breaking rules regarding eating and drinking in public as people now have a good knowledge and awareness about the UAE’s culture and beliefs, and of the holy month.

A professional I know was promoted by his company to a position of higher responsibility more than 10 months ago. Yet the company, despite promising an increased salary, has still not changed his payroll designation from his previous job – despite him taking on the new role when instructed. Despite several promises from his line managers that he shall be paid arrears for his increased salary, no official action has been taken, or any indication of the amount he is entitled to. What action, if any, can the employee take?

First, you have to go to a labour office with any possible document like promotion address and any proof of salary, if possible, for those clerks who work in the same job level, in addition to bank certificate of the salaries paid to the employee’s bank account. As there is no indication of any amount, there must be a proof like a salary of the same position or same job level. If there is no proof then it will be very difficult to prove any salary increase, so the employee rights stipulated in the labour law of the UAE will be calculated according to the last salary and the articles of labour law.

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