The law supports the Emirate’s leadership by issuing the first civil law governing non-Muslim family matters in line with international best practices…reports Asian Lite News
UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued a law to regulate personal status matters for non-Muslims in Abu Dhabi to provide a flexible and advanced judicial mechanism for the determination of personal status disputes for non-Muslims.
The decision, which is the first of its kind in the world, will enhance the Emirate’s position and global competitiveness as one of the most attractive destinations for talent and skills.
The law supports the Emirate’s leadership by issuing the first civil law governing non-Muslim family matters in line with international best practices. It also guarantees the right of non-Muslims to be subject to an internationally acknowledged law that is familiar to them in terms of culture, customs and language, as well as to protect the best interests of children, particularly in the case of parental separation.
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Youssef Saeed Al Abri, Under-Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD), noted that the new legislation deals with the smallest details regarding non-Muslims’ family life, and reflects Abu Dhabi’s legislative leadership and the global status it has achieved, following the wise vision of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa, and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
Al Abri added that the Judicial Department has been working according to the inspiration of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of ADJD, to provide innovative solutions to non-Muslims’ personal status issues that are brought before the courts, after studying and analysing them.
The new law applies civil principles in the regulation of family matters, explained ADJD Under-Secretary, who also announced the establishment by the Judicial Department of the first court dedicated to non-Muslim family matters.
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All the procedures of the new court will be bilingual in Arabic and English to facilitate the understanding of judicial procedures by foreigners and to improve judicial transparency.
In detail, the law consists of 20 articles divided into several chapters covering civil marriage, divorce, joint custody of children and inheritance.