DUBAI // Two men who have been personal friends for 20 years appeared in court yesterday accused of insulting each other on Facebook.
ME, 42, an unemployed Emirati, posted messages claiming that DH, 47, a well-known journalist who was running for the FNC at the time, was corrupt, and urging his friends not to vote for him, Dubai Court of Misdemeanours was told. DH has also been charged with using Facebook to insult ME.
The two men, former work colleagues at Dubai Municipality, yesterday told the court they were trying to reach a settlement.
DH said he accepted a friend request from ME early last year and the insults began in August.
"He was defaming me while I was running for the FNC," said DH, adding many of his friends had read the insulting remarks.
ME told the court DH insulted him on Facebook after he commented on a mutual friend's post.
"He insulted me on August 28 last year and all our Facebook friends could have seen what he wrote," said ME.
DH admitted writing "patronising phrases" to ME, but said they were in retaliation for ME's insults.
The next hearing is scheduled for March 27.