Abu Dhabi: The Federal National Council (FNC) approved a draft federal law on regulating cemeteries and burial procedures.
The new draft federal law aims to regulate cemeteries and burial procedures, including transporting, bathing and burying of the dead bodies. The draft law also defines penalties for violators and the regulations for the authorities concerned with monitoring, inspection and guarding cemeteries.
Eighth session
The draft law was passed during the eighth session of the second ordinary term of its 17th legislative chapter chaired by Saqr Ghobash the FNC Speaker on Tuesday. The session was also attended by Lt. General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, who answered the FNC members questions related to the security affairs.
Also present were Abdul Rahman bin Mohammad bin Nasser Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention and Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs, Lt. General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman of Dubai Police and Public Security; Lt. General Saif Abdullah Al Sha’far, Under-secretary of the Interior Ministry; Lt. General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander in Chief of Dubai Police and a number of senior police and civil defence officers.
Ghobash welcomed Sheikh Saif and Al Owais, praising the efforts made by the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Health and Prevention, to contain the spread of COVID-19.
In his speech, Sheikh Saif said the UAE, under the wise leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will continue its journey of development, supported by the initiatives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
Some violations and fines
A person can face one-year jail or a penalty between Dh10,000 and Dh100,000 or both for an offence related to burial of a corpse or body parts in a burial ground without the approved by the authorities concerned.
Anyone who prepares a place for burial of a corpse on place which has not been designated by the authorities will face one-year jail term and a fine up to Dh20,000.
Permission is required to take a corpse abroad or bring it in the country. Violators may face fine up to Dh100,000.
A fine of between Dh100,000 and 200,000 and five-year-jail will be imposed for any bid to vandalise a grave or a cemetery
Other violations
Constructing any building or making changes in a cemetery
Transferring a corpse within the country without obtaining a permit
