UAE legal Q&As: can a woman be punished for reporting domestic abuse?


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Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

If an expatriate woman reports domestic abuse to the police, can she fall into trouble with the law or be at fear of deportation?

Absolutely not, the UAE Federal Penal Law, in articles 336 until 343, protects the personal safety of the individual regardless of being a citizen or an expatriate. According to the law, anyone who tries to harm another person will face punishment. Therefor, any person who has been physically harmed or subjected to domestic abuse can approach police and file a criminal claim against the defaulter be it their husband, wife or parent.

Does my marriage have to be officially recognised by the UAE government before moving there with my spouse or is a marriage licence from another country acceptable?

A marriage certificate from the expatriate's country is considered valid in UAE. However, to avoid any inconvenience or delays in visa processing the expatriate should make sure that the marriage certificate is attested by the foreign affairs authorities in their home country and then from their embassy in the UAE. Finally, the certificate should be attested by the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs so it can be used for any transaction in the country.

What happens to an expatriate if a cheque they paid someone bounces?

It all depends upon the beneficiary (holder). The beneficiary may ask the payer to issue another cheque or could file a criminal case with prosecutors. If a case is filed, an arrest warrant will be issued by the prosecutor against the cheque's signer and police will arrest them.

If that happens in Dubai, and the case is taken to court, the outcome of any criminal procedures depends upon the value of the bounced cheque. If it is below Dh200,000, then the prosecutor will fine the defendant. If the value is higher than Dh200,000 then the prosecutor will refer the defendant to the court of law where the defendant will most likely face a fine and a jail sentence.

If you have a question for our lawyer, please email it to newsdesk@thenational.ae with the subject line 'Know the law'.

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'The worst thing you can eat'

Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.

Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines: 

Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.

Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.

Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.

Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.

Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

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A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.

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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

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  • Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

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1) Download your ballot https://www.fvap.gov/

2) Take it to the US Embassy

3) Deadline is October 15

4) The embassy will ensure all ballots reach the US in time for the November 3 poll

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Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers