President approves amendments to Personal Status, Civil Transactions, Penal Code, Criminal Procedural laws

ABU DHABI, 7th November, 2020 (WAM)

President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has approved Federal Law-Decrees to amend the Personal Status, Civil Transactions, Penal Code and Criminal Procedural laws.

The Federal Law-Decrees mean to further enhance the UAE legislative environment, entrench the principles of tolerance in the society and strengthen the country’s position as a preferred hub that attracts people to reside and work.

Based on the UAE solid commitment to protecting women’s rights, amendments to the Penal Code and Criminal Procedural law have repealed the article giving reduced (lenient) sentence in what is called “honour crimes”.

In another context, the amendments also allow the UAE Attorney General, in coordination with prosecutors in local authorities, to identify cases involving misdemeanours and infractions, where Penal Order can be applied, a step that aims at reducing the burden on the judiciary, especially in cases of minor cases.

Meanwhile, amendments to the Personal Status and the Civil Transactions laws allow non-citizens to choose the law that governs issues such as inheritance.