Man Fined 30,000 Shekels for Defaming Ex-Lover in Chat Groups
Translated & summarized from Vesty by baba
An Israeli man was ordered by a family court to pay 30,000 shekels in defamation damages to his ex-lover for sending insulting messages about her, including accusations of infidelity, to WhatsApp groups and friends. The court ruled that even private messages to friends constitute defamation if they are untrue and humiliating. The man must also pay 11,000 shekels in legal costs.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- A man must pay 30,000 shekels for defaming his ex-lover in chat messages.
- The court ruled that messages to friends can be considered defamation.
- The man accused his ex-lover of infidelity in WhatsApp groups and private chats.
- The judge found the man's claims about the woman's sexual behavior unproven.
- The man also has to pay 11,000 shekels for legal costs.
A family court has ordered a young man to pay 30,000 shekels in compensation to a former lover for defamation, ruling that his messages to friends constituted libel. The woman had sued her ex-partner after their two-year on-again, off-again relationship ended. The man then sent insulting messages about her, including accusations of sexual infidelity, to WhatsApp groups with dozens of members and in private messages to his friends.
He argued in court that the messages were private and sent only to close friends, not publicly disseminated, and were intended to alleviate his post-breakup pain. However, the judge stated that sending a message to even one person constitutes dissemination under the defamation law. The court found that attributing sexual relations with others, infidelity, or promiscuous behavior to the woman was defamatory and could humiliate her.
The judge noted that the man failed to prove his claims about the woman's sexual contacts, deeming the messages untrue. Even if true, such intimate information is afforded heightened protection. The court concluded that the messages, which described her personal life in detail and called her promiscuous, were humiliating and insulting.
The court also considered the significant age difference between the former lovers, suggesting a power imbalance. While acknowledging the man's distress over the breakup and his written apology, the court found him responsible as an adult. The compensation was divided: 25,000 shekels for the group messages and 5,000 shekels for the private messages. He was also ordered to pay 11,000 shekels in legal costs.
