Saudi Arabia approves new personal status law

Cairo: The Saudi government has approved a new personal status, as part of legal reforms in the kingdom, local media reported.

The law regulates issues related to engagement, marriage, divorce and children’s custody.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said the new law is based on the rules of the Islamic Sharia code and its objectives, conforms to the latest international legal practices and adapts to changes in modern-day life.

“It will contribute to preserving the family and its stability, given that the family is the main component of society,” Prince Mohammed said, according to Saudi media.

“The law will also improve the status of the family and the child, and fine-tune the judicial power of judges to limit disparities in judicial rulings in this regard,” he added.

Prince Mohammed noted that the new personal law represents a “major qualitative leap” in efforts for safeguarding human rights and women’s empowerment.

The new law, whose stipulations have yet to be officially announced, will take effect 90 days after its publication in the kingdom’s Official Gazette, media reports said.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has revamped its justice system as part of massive reforms in the country.