Recently, Saudi Arabia began to implement the new Personal Status Law. Yes, it took effect on Friday, February 21 and the landmark legal framework which aims at modernising family law was approved by the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Here’s all you need to know about the 41-article regulation, which marks a significant step towards modernising family law.
Saudi Arabia Begins Implementation Of Personal Status Law
Saudi Arabia has begun implementing the new Personal Status Law, which affects several forms of family life. Moreover, it reinforces women’s rights, child custody, legal reforms, and of course marital laws. For instance, under the new rules, unapproved marriage contracts shall now be subject to structure review. This would be led by the Minister of Justice and other authorities. Moreover, as revealed in a report by Gulf News, the ministry can now also introduce additional regulations as needed, based on evolving judicial applications.
Focus On Modernising Family Law
An important provision instructs official documentation of marriage contracts, even between non-Muslims. This is important, regardless of the fact whether they share the same nationality or not. Moreover, a wife’s request for annulment of marriage due to no marital relations cannot be forfeited. Not to mention, the law also strengthens marital privacy! This is being done through the stipulation that the couple’s privacy is considered breached if someone who is capable of understanding and interpreting their relationship is present as an observer.
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More About Child Custody
Coming to child custody, these regulations, mention how a mother can retain the custody of a child, who is under two years of age. This is valid even if she is remarrying a man unrelated to the child. The legal age of marriage has been set at 18, thereby affirming a woman’s right to financial support from her husband. Moreover, it also grants them the right to annul the marriage under specific conditions.
It’s no secret that the personal status law is one of the four important legal frameworks. These were announced by the crown prince back in February 2021. They were announced alongside the Penal Code for Discretionary Sanctions, Law of Evidence, and Civil Transaction Law. Together, these reforms are enhancing judicial transparency.
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