New UAE Law Eases Restrictions On Extra-Marital Relationships
New UAE Law Eases Restrictions On Extra-Marital Relationships
His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, has approved a new list of rules for the welfare of the residents. As part of the new reform, a new and updated Federal Crime and Punishment Law has also been introduced.
The new law provides enhanced protection for women, strengthens public safety and eases restrictions on extra-marital relationships. The law will be effective from January 2, 2022.
As per the new law, consensual extra-marital intercourse with a person aged over 18 years can be taken up as a criminal case only on the basis of a complaint from the husband or guardian
In all cases, the husband or guardian has the right to waive the complaint, and the waiver entails the expiration of the criminal case or the suspension of the execution of the penalty, as the case may be.
The new law effectively decriminalizes consensual relationships out of wedlock
Any child conceived as a result of the relationship is acknowledged and will be cared for. Any couple conceiving a child out of wedlock will be required to marry or singly or jointly acknowledge the child and provide identification papers and travel documents in accordance with the laws of the country of which either is a national, considering the applicable laws of that nation.
Failure to do so, will lead to a criminal case with a prison term of two years for both correspondents.
