3 years ago
The United Arab Emirates has recently made some sweeping changes to its civil and criminal law. It is home to more than 8.4 million people (according to a survey conducted in 2018).
This amendment has been made to make the life of UAE citizens and migrants living there more positive and favorable. A large number of migrants living in the United Arab Emirates are from South Asia.
According to the amendment, those living abroad will now be allowed to act in accordance with the laws of their country in personal matters.
For example, divorce or property sharing, alcohol consumption, suicide, having sex with a minor, women's safety and honor crime.
A few weeks ago, the United Arab Emirates signed a landmark agreement to normalize its relations with Israel. The move is expected to increase the number of Israeli tourists or investors in the UAE.
Significance of the changed law
There has been a lot of reaction from the expatriate community and legal experts to this change.
Amir Alakhja, a lawyer for international law firm Baker Mackenzie, said: "The new amendment is an attempt to reassure investors.
The president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, announced the changes in a decree issued on November 7 and said the amendments would be implemented immediately.
"It's a federal law," he said. Once published, all citizens should follow it. '
According to Alakhja, the new amendment will boost tourism in the country and have a positive impact on all important events. One of which is the much awaited Expo 2021.
This international project will include many important investors and millions of spectators.
The most important amendment for immigrants is the law on divorce and property. Following this legal amendment, if a couple marries in their own country and divorces in the United Arab Emirates, the law of the country in which they married will apply. That is, the law of their own country will be valid for them.
Alakhja thinks these amendments will be easy to implement and effective. "The UAE society is a mixture of immigrants and natives," he said. There is a sense of acceptance between the two majorities and they respect all cultures. '
Also, changes have been made in the law in which Honor Crime was protected till now. It is now classified as a crime. There is now a provision for the death penalty for raping a minor or a mentally retarded person.
Drinking alcohol without a license will no longer carry a punishment. However, there are certain conditions for the purchase of alcohol and liquor. One of them should be above 21 years of age.
One migrant said, "I used to be scared to drink alcohol. Now with the change in the law, we are feeling safer. '
With these changes, unmarried couples are now allowed to live together. In the United Arab Emirates, it was a crime for a previously unmarried couple to live together.
The new amendment also allows foreign nationals to evade Islamic Sharia courts on a variety of issues, including inheritance, marriage and divorce.
