Dubai: United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday announced major changes in Islamic private laws. Unmarried couples in the country have been allowed to live together and have relaxed the restrictions on drinking liquor. Together has criminalized “murder for honor”.
Increasing personal liberty in the UAE shows that the country wants to present itself as a site of the Gangescourt for Western tourists and businessmen. However its legal system is based on Sharia laws. These changes also reflect the emirate’s attempt to keep pace with the rapidly changing society in the country.
The announcement comes after the UAE signed an agreement to normalize the UAE’s relationship with Israel. The treaty is expected to bring Israeli tourists and investment into the country. As part of the changes, the punishment for drinking, selling and possessing liquor for people 21 years or older in the country has been abolished. The legal reforms were announced on the official WAM news agency and published in detail in the official newspaper The National. Earlier, people needed liquor licenses to buy, carry or drink alcohol at home.
The new rules would allow Muslims to drink alcohol, which was prohibited from obtaining licenses. Other amendments allow non-married couples to live together. It was a crime in the UAE for a long time. The government has also decided not to give protection to “crimes committed for honor”. It is a tribal practice in which a male relative could escape a lawsuit if he attacks a woman in case of insulting his family. It has been widely criticized.
