Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Improvement in the legislative environment in the Kingdom will contribute to consolidating the principles of justice, transparency, and protection of rights, concurred several Saudi ministers and senior officials in a report carried by Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.

The ministers made the remarks following the announcement of four new laws by Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman as part of measures to reform Saudi Arabia’s judicial institutions.

The new laws — the Personal Status Law, the Civil Transactions Law, the Penal Code for Discretionary Sanctions, and the Law of Evidence — represent a new wave of judicial reforms in the Kingdom will come into force this year itself, according to the Crown Prince.

Promotion of rights

Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan said that this announcement comes within the framework of the reforms that encompass the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 to raise the efficiency of regulations, enhance rights and improve the quality of life” and will constitute a qualitative leap in the legislative environment, consolidating principles of justice, transparency, protection of rights and achieving comprehensive development.

Achieving justice

Minister of Sports Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al-Faisal stated that the Crown Prince’s statement reflects the leadership’s vision and aspirations in achieving the principles of justice and preserving rights.

Qualitative leap

Acting Minister of Media Dr. Majed Al-Qasabi said that these legislations reflect a qualitative leap in the legislative environment in the Kingdom in order to achieve the desired goals of preserving the family, forging relations among members of society, protecting human rights, facilitating economic movement, and raising the efficiency of contractual obligations.

Comprehensive development

Minister of Health Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah said that the improvement in the legislative environment announced by the Crown Prince will contribute to making a qualitative leap through the introduction and reform of regulations, preserving rights, consolidating principles of justice and transparency, protecting human rights, and achieving comprehensive development in accordance with the Kingdom’s 2030 Vision.

Serving public interests

Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Abdullatif Al-Sheikh said that the announcement reflects the Crown Prince’s keenness to develop the legislative environment, which preserves rights and establishes principles of justice to protect human rights, achieve comprehensive development, and enhance the Kingdom’s global competitiveness to realize the aspirations of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman.

He added that the Crown Prince’s renewal of systems, improvement of procedures, and amendment of laws in developing the system of legislation, is a mighty and blessed work because it guarantees and provides the citizens and expatriates a decent life where their rights are preserved in accordance with clear laws that take into account the interests and needs of people.

Bolstering leadership role

Attorney General Sheikh Saud Al-Muajab affirmed that this announcement constitutes a fundamental pillar towards strengthening the leadership role of Saudi Arabia in various fields, including the judicial and human rights field, in line with Vision 2030. It is a unique qualitative leap matching the great aspirations of the Crown Prince.

Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman’s statement was, as usual, very clear and transparent with depth in the study, adaptation, and finding a decisive institutional solution through clarity of vision and strength of determination with its great support tools.

Modernization of laws

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir said the Crown Prince’s announcement will strengthen the preservation of human rights, modernize laws, achieve justice and transparency, and safeguard women’s rights and social stability. This major shift comes as an extension of the Saudi leadership’s interest historically since the era of King Abdul Aziz to achieve justice and preserve rights.

Enhancing competitiveness

Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khatib stated that the Crown Prince’s directive to develop the legislative system in the Kingdom comes within the comprehensive development measures that the country is witnessing, and it will enhance the Kingdom’s global competitiveness.

Digital support

Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Swaha considered that the move will strengthen the comprehensive development process and raise the Kingdom’s economic and digital competitiveness as a focal point for investment in entrepreneurship and innovation.

Protection of rights

Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Eng. Ahmed Al-Rajhi commented that the Civil Status Law, announced by the Crown Prince, as part of the legislative reforms will have a significant impact on preserving the family, protecting the rights of its members as the basic component of society, safeguarding the rights of women and children, and taking into account the best interests of children, and will help achieve transformation without the practices that threaten the cohesion of the family.

Judicial reliability

Transport Minister Saleh Al-Jasser stressed that what was included in the Crown Prince’s statement confirms the leadership’s keenness to raise the level of transparency and increase the reliability of judicial procedures by introducing and reforming regulations that preserve rights, consolidate principles of justice, stimulate development and investment, and enhance the Kingdom’s global competitiveness.

Historic reform

Human Rights Commission President Dr. Awwad Al-Awwad considered the specialized legislation system as a historical reform and a qualitative leap in the process of justice and human rights and an extension of the great developments and reforms that the Kingdom is witnessing in all fields, within the framework of the Vision 2030 and that covers as many as 90 reforms in the human rights field alone.

He explained that these legislations represent radical handling of the disparity in judicial rulings and the lack of clarity surrounding the rules governing behaviors. He stressed that the Kingdom is moving forward towards reaching the best international levels in the promotion and protection of human rights as it raises the slogan of human first in word and deed.

Prompt justice

The Head of the Board of Grievances and Chairman of the Administrative Judicial Council Dr. Khaled Al-Youssef said the specialized system of legislation will reduce the disparity in judicial rulings, enhance the sense of justice and confidence in the judiciary, and it will contribute to highlighting the depth and strength of the regulatory authority in the Kingdom. It also reflects the level of legislative progress and development, in a way confirming its constant commitment to the principles of prompt justice, protecting rights, enhancing integrity, and combating corruption.

Al-Youssef said that the leadership’s directives clearly confirm the structure of this specialized legislation, with what this country is based upon, which derives its authority from the Holy Qur’an and the Prophet’s Sunnah in a manner that guarantees the independence of the judiciary and achieves its guarantees while adopting modern legal theories. This is in accordance with the best local and international practices in this regard and keeping pace with changing developments. He emphasized that people’s knowledge of the laws, which are to be enforced mandatorily, is the basis of the civil state in the modern world.

The Board of Grievances’ chief stated that these legislations are based on achieving modern governance standards that lie on transparency and equality, and they are among the most important means in promoting civil rights, raising the confidence of people, and consolidating principles of justice and human values. Moreover, the legislation will bring about fair judicial security for everyone who lives in this country, and help realize the desired goals through promoting investment, economy, and trade, he added.