HRH Crown Prince Announces 4 New Laws to Reform the Kingdom’s Judicial Institutions

HRH Crown Prince Announces 4 New Laws to Reform the Kingdom’s Judicial Institutions

Saudi newspapers highlighted in their editorials today a number of issues at local, regional and international arenas. Al-Riyadh newspaper reported in its editorial that HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announcement about the four new laws to reform the Kingdom's judicial institutions represents a new wave of reforms that will contribute to protecting rights. HRH the Crown Prince said that "The absence of applicable legislations has led to discrepancies in decisions and a lack of clarity in the principles governing facts and practices. This resulted in prolonged litigation not based on legal texts. In addition, the absence of a clear legal framework for the private and business sectors has led to ambiguity with respect to obligations“. The Personal Status Law, the Civil Transactions Law, the Penal Code for Discretionary Sentences, and the Law of Evidence are meant to preserve rights, bolster the principles of justice, enforce transparency, protect human rights and achieve comprehensive and sustainable development, in a manner to reinforce the Kingdom's global competitiveness, the newspaper added. The newspaper further added that these laws will also contribute to the ability to predict court decisions, increase the level of integrity and efficiency of judicial institutions, and increase the reliability of procedures and oversight mechanisms