New rules governing divorce, inheritance and child custody established to give ‘flexible, advanced judicial mechanism’ for non-Muslims, area media say.
The cash of the United Arab Emirates has issued new regulations governing divorce, inheritance and baby custody for non-Muslims in Abu Dhabi, the country’s state-operate news company documented.
The report on Sunday by the WAM information company explained Abu Dhabi would produce a new court to handle these instances, which will be held in Arabic and English to be much better understood by the emirate’s large overseas worker inhabitants.
Transform in little one custody will let mom and dad to share joint custody of their kids, WAM documented. The regulation – which is composed of 20 content – also introduces the concept of civil relationship, makes it possible for wills to be drawn up granting inheritance to whomever a particular person chooses, and deals with paternity problems.
It is established to deliver “a adaptable and state-of-the-art judicial system for the determination of own position disputes for non-Muslims”, the Abu Dhabi Judicial Division said, according to The Countrywide newspaper.
Abu Dhabi is one of seven sheikhdoms that make up the UAE and the new legislation influences only this sheikhdom. Though the oil-prosperous emirate is the cash of the country, Abu Dhabi’s populace is dwarfed by that of neighbouring Dubai.
The new regulation arrives just after authorities final calendar year reported they would overhaul the country’s Islamic individual guidelines, making it possible for single partners to cohabitate, loosening alcohol constraints and criminalising so-termed “honour killings” – a extensively criticised tribal customized in which a male relative may possibly evade prosecution for assaulting a girl he claims has dishonoured her spouse and children.
Preceding alterations
At the time, the authorities said the lawful reforms had been component of attempts to make improvements to laws and the financial investment weather in the place, as perfectly as to consolidate “tolerance principles”.
Abu Dhabi also finished its alcoholic beverages licence system in September 2020.
Earlier, men and women necessary a liquor licence to acquire, transport or have alcoholic beverages in their homes. The rule would evidently enable Muslims who have been barred from obtaining licences to drink alcoholic beverages freely.
The UAE as a full in September this yr declared however a different program to encourage its financial state and liberalise stringent residency policies for foreigners.
In January, the UAE introduced it was opening a path to citizenship for find foreign nationals, who make up almost 80 p.c of the population.
The broadening of particular freedoms reflects the switching profile of a country that has sought to monthly bill by itself as a skyscraper-studded place for Western tourists, fortune-seekers and businesses.
The modifications also mirror the attempts of the emirates’ rulers to preserve speed with a promptly switching society at home.
On the other hand, standard Islamic values continue to be strong in the federation. The approximately one million Emiratis in the UAE, a hereditarily dominated state long criticised for its suppression of dissent, closely toe the govt line.
Political functions and labour unions keep on being illegal.