The legal system in the United Arab Emirates is based on civil law, and Sharia law in the personal status matters of Muslims and blood money compensation. [1] Personal status matters of non-Muslims are based on civil law. [2] The UAE constitution established a federal court system and allows all emirates to establish local courts systems. [3] The emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah have local court systems, while other emirates follow the federal court system. [4] Some financial free trade zones in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have their own legal and court systems based on English common law; local businesses in both emirates are allowed to opt-in to the jurisdiction of common law courts for business contracts. [4] [5] [6]
The justice system in the UAE has been characterized as opaque. International money launderers, criminals, corrupt political figures and sanctioned businesspeople are prevalent in the UAE where it is easy to hide wealth and engage in moneylaundering. [7] [8]
Under the Constitution of the United Arab Emirates, each emirate is allowed to establish its own judiciary or to follow the federal court system.
The UAE federal system includes courts of first instance (trial court), courts of appeal and the Supreme Court.
The federal court system is the sole court system in the emirates of Ajman, Fujairah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain.
The local court systems (النظام القضائي المحلي) is in trial, appeal and cassation courts. The emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah have their own courts of cassation. [9]
The Public Prosecution is organized hierarchically, led by the Attorney General, followed by Senior Advocates General, Advocates General, Directors of Prosecution (Chief Prosecutors), and Prosecutors. Each role has specific responsibilities and varying degrees of authority, with superiors exercising control and supervision over subordinates [10] .
Criminal actions commence with a police investigation which is transferred to the prosecutor's office within 48 hours of filing a complaint. The prosecutor will then hear and document statements from witnesses to determine if charges will be pressed or dropped, which must be completed 14 days from receiving the case from the police. If the prosecutor determines charges should be pressed, the parties can proceed in hiring an attorney. All attorneys must be licensed to practice law in the court system where the case is being adjudicated, and must be approved by an official deed notarized by a notary public to try the case. [11]
Under the UAE constitution all defendants are innocent until proven guilty. Trials are public except for trials involving national security or cases where any evidence, testimonies or results the judge deems to be detrimental to societal morality. [12] Criminal cases involve no juries. Also, all proceedings are delivered in the Arabic, but non-Arabic speakers are entitled to translators. Defendants charged with felonies punishable by three to fifteen years in prison with no attorney may have counsel provided for them at the states discretion. [12] UAE prosecutors and defense lawyers have the ability to withhold any investigation from each other involving the case. [12] After a defendant is criminally indicted, they may be released on bail informally. Bail can include cash deposit, surrendering passports or an unsecured guarantee from a third party. Diyah or blood money qualifies as debt to a crime committed.
The UAE penal code dictates legal punishments for all crimes and offence in all matters except for blood money amounts which are derived from Sharia law. [1] Emirates with local courts systems have their own penal codes that are independent from the federal penal code. [13]
Under UAE law, a juvenile is an individual under the age of 18. Capital punishment, imprisonment, or fines cannot be imposed as sentences against juveniles who commit criminal offences; however, judges have discretion to issue imprisonment sentences of up to ten years to juveniles over the age of 16. [14] Judges can issue a variety of non-punitive sentences including reprimand, juvenile offenders under the supervision of a guardian, or rehabilitation. In 2015, 40% of all cases examined by prosecutors were related to offences committed by juveniles. [15]
If one causes the death or injury of another person accidentally or intentionally, he or she must pay the victim's family blood money as a means of compensation. Blood money is only payable if the defendant is found guilty under the criminal procedure or legally responsible for the death of the victim. [16] If the defendant is found defending themselves, family, or property, blood money is not paid. Blood money for the death of a male is AED 200,000 (US$54,450) and AED 100,000 (US$27,225) for females of all faiths and nationalities. [16]
Verbal abuse, including on social media is illegal and is punishable by a fine up to AED 250,000 or up to a year in prison, excluding any monetary compensation to the victim; [17] [18] some expats were penalized by deportation. [18] [19] [20] [21]
Since 2020, consumption and procession of alcohol has have been decriminalised federally for all faiths and individual emirates were given the power to regulate alcohol sales in their emirates; Sharjah maintains its ban on the sale of alcohol, and Dubai still requires alcohol licenses for the purchase of alcohol outside bars and restaurants. [22] Driving under the influence is strictly illegal and the legal blood alcohol level in the UAE is zero. [23]
Abortion in the United Arab Emirates is legal if the pregnancy is a result of rape, incest, at the approval of a regulatory committee, if the continuation of the pregnancy endangers the woman, or if the foetus is deformed and such deformities could negatively impact its quality of life. [24]
Apostasy is technically capital crime in the UAE, however there are no documented cases of the punishment being applied. [25] [26] Blasphemy is illegal and is defined as any act insulting God, religions, prophets, messengers, holy books, or houses of worship; foreigners convicted of blasphemy are deported. [27] [28]
Emirati law which criminalized cross-dressing, that is, wearing clothing deemed "inappropriate for one's sex", was changed in 2020 to more narrowly apply only to "men who enter a place designated for women while disguised as a woman". [29] Foreign residents have been deported for this reason in past years, and individuals continue to be sanctioned for the practice. [30]
Homosexuality, extra-marital sex and adultery are illegal and are punishable with a minimum of 6 months in jail; since 2022, however, prosecution is only carried out on a complaint of the husband or male legal guardian of one of the two people involved. [31]
Public shows of affection are considered discourteous in Emirati culture and are discouraged. However, normal kissing or hugging is acceptable. [32] Engaging in sexual intercourse in public areas is a crime punishable by law. [33]
Corporal punishment, including amputations and flogging, was officially removed as a legal form of punishment in 2020. [1] Despite this, the United States Department of State has reported continuing imposition of sentences to flogging by sharia courts, as of 2021 [update] : [34]
... Sharia (Islamic) courts, which adjudicate criminal and family law cases, still impose flogging as punishment for adultery, prostitution, consensual premarital sex, pregnancy outside marriage, defamation of character, and drug or alcohol charges.
Such penalties were in use in the country in the past; sentences to more severe forms of corporal punishments were regularly commuted. [35] [36] [37] [ self-published source? ]
Under Emirati law, multiple crimes carry the death penalty, and executions are required to be carried out by firing squad. [38] [39] [40] [41] Current law allows the death penalty for treason, espionage, murder, successfully inciting the suicide of a mentally ill person, arson resulting in death, indecent assault resulting in death, nuclear waste disposal in the environment, apostasy, rape of a minor, perjury causing wrongful execution, aggravated robbery, terrorism, drug trafficking [41] and joining the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. [40] [39] Sentences of capital punishment are infrequently carried out, usually being commuted, albeit to lengthy terms of imprisonment. [42] Both foreign nationals and UAE citizens have been executed for crimes.
In the UAE, Sharia dictates most Muslim personal status law. Sharia courts have exclusive jurisdiction to hear family disputes, including matters involving divorce, inheritances, child custody, child abuse and guardianship for Muslims in the UAE. [43] Accordingly, Muslim females require the permission of a male guardian to marry and Muslim women are not allowed to marry non-Muslims. [44] [45] Furthermore, Muslim men are allowed to practice polygamy and marry up to four women. [46]
Non-Muslims are bound by the personal status laws of their home countries following changes to federal and local laws; this includes marriages, wills, inheritance, prenuptial agreements and alimony. [47]
The UAE has no social security laws that cover non-citizens, but the country provides social security to Emirati seniors, people with disabilities or those incapable of self support. The country also provides welfare benefits such as free medical care, education, and subsidised water and electricity to citizens. [48] Victims of catastrophic illnesses and disasters are entitled to benefits. [49]
Section 2A of the United Arab Emirates constitution provides freedom of speech and press. However, the law prohibits criticism and slander of public officials that may create or encourage social uproar. [12] Journalists undergo strict boundaries implemented from the government. A variety of information can be published and distributed without the content being harmful or insulting to others. All sources must be reliable and will not be published until a full investigation has been performed to phish out any fabricated information. [50] Reporters are entitled to document and publish the details of public trials, except for the names of the accused, victims, or witnesses. [50]
In September 2020, corporal punishment was officially removed as a legal form of punishment under UAE federal law. Article 1 of the Federal Penal Code was amended in 2020 to state that Sharia applies only to retribution and blood money punishments and the decree defined legal forms of punishment are retribution and blood money punishments, capital punishment, life imprisonment, temporary imprisonment incarceration, detention, and fines. [1] Previously the article stated that "provisions of the Islamic Law shall apply to the crimes of doctrinal punishment, punitive punishment and blood money" [1] [51] making flogging, stoning, amputation, and crucifixion were technically legal punishments for criminal offences such as adultery, premarital sex, and drug or alcohol consumption. [52] [53]
Since November 2020, alcohol consumption for Muslims and non-Muslims is legal, but the law gives emirates the right to regulate alcohol sale and consumption; the emirate of Sharjah is still a dry emirate. [54] Consensual extra-marital sex, including same-sex extra-marital sex law was changed to consider extra-marital sex a crime carrying a minimum sentence of 6 months imprisonment, but the law does not apply "except on the basis of a complaint from the husband or legal guardian", but the penalty may be suspended if the complaint is waived. [55] [56] The UAE also legalized co-habitation, and provided for a legal process for children born outside of wedlock. [57] Parents still face a minimum of 2 years of jail term if neither decide to document the child. [58]
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a federal elective monarchy made up of seven emirates, with Abu Dhabi serving as its capital. It shares land borders with Oman to the east and northeast, and with Saudi Arabia to the southwest; as well as maritime borders in the Persian Gulf with Qatar and Iran, and with Oman in the Gulf of Oman. As of 2024, the UAE has an estimated population of over 10 million, of which 11% are Emiratis; Dubai is its most populous city and is an international hub. Islam is the official religion and Arabic is the official language, while English is the most spoken language and the language of business.
Hudud is an Arabic word meaning "borders, boundaries, limits". In classical Islamic literature, punishments are mainly of three types; Qisas-diya, hudud and Ta'zeer. Hudud covers the punishments given to people who exceed the limits associated with the Quran and deemed to be set by Allah, and in this respect it differs from Ta'zeer. These punishments were applied in pre-modern Islam, and their use in some modern states has been a source of controversy.
In Islamic Law, tazir lit. scolding; refers to punishment for offenses at the discretion of the judge (Qadi) or ruler of the state. It is one of three major types of punishments or sanctions under Islamic law, Sharia — hadd, qisas / diyya and ta'zir. Contrary to the lightness of naming, tazir are discretionary punishments that can range from a harsh warning from the judge to corporal punishment such as flogging, imprisonment and exile not specified in the Qur'an nor the hadiths, or is not punishable under either qisas or hudud.
Human rights in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are substantially restricted. The UAE does not have democratically elected institutions and citizens do not have the right to change their government or form political parties. Activists and academics who criticize the government are detained and imprisoned, and their families are often harassed by the state security apparatus. There are reports of forced disappearances of foreign nationals and Emirati citizens, who have been abducted, detained and tortured in undisclosed locations, and denied the right to a speedy trial and access to counsel during investigations by the UAE government. Human Rights Watch states that Emirati laws maintain capital punishment and discriminate against women, migrants and LGBT individuals.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the United Arab Emirates face discrimination and legal challenges. Homosexuality is illegal in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and under the federal criminal provisions, consensual same-sex sexual activity is punishable by imprisonment; extra-marital sexual activity between persons of different sexes is also illegal. In both cases, prosecution will only be brought if a husband or male guardian of one of the participants makes a criminal complaint. The penalty is a minimum of six months imprisonment; no maximum penalty is prescribed, and the court has full discretion to impose any sentence in accordance with the country's constitution.
Qisas or Qiṣāṣ is an Islamic term interpreted to mean "retaliation in kind", "eye for an eye", or retributive justice. Qisas and diyya applied as an alternative in cases where retaliation conditions not met are two of several forms of punishment in classical/traditional Islamic criminal jurisprudence, the others being Hudud and Ta'zir.
Diya in Islamic law, is the financial compensation paid to the victim or heirs of a victim in the cases of murder, bodily harm or property damage by mistake. It is an alternative punishment to qisas. In Arabic, the word means both blood money and ransom, and it is spelled sometimes as diyah or diyeh.
Human rights in Dubai are based on the Constitution and enacted law, which promise equitable treatment of all people, regardless of race, nationality or social status, per Article 25 of the Constitution of the United Arab Emirates. Despite this, Freedom House has stated: "Extreme forms of self-censorship are widely practiced, particularly regarding issues such as local politics, culture, religion, or any other subject the government deems politically or culturally sensitive. The Dubai Media Free Zone (DMFZ), an area in which foreign media outlets produce print and broadcast material intended for foreign audiences, is the only arena where the press operates with relative freedom."
According to Human Rights Watch, there is substantial discrimination against women in the United Arab Emirates. The status of women has improved over the years. UAE performs better on metrics of gender equality than many other states in the Gulf region, and it has been making reforms to protect women's rights and empower women in different sectors. Critics describe some of these reforms as window dressing.
Stoning, or lapidation, is a method of capital punishment where a group throws stones at a person until the subject dies from blunt trauma. It has been attested as a form of punishment for grave misdeeds since ancient times.
Judicial corporal punishment is the infliction of corporal punishment as a result of a sentence imposed on an offender by a court of law, including flagellation, forced amputations, caning, bastinado, birching, or strapping. Legal corporal punishment is forbidden in most countries, but it still is a form of legal punishment practiced according to the legislations of Brunei, Iran, Libya, the Maldives, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Qatar, as well as parts of Indonesia and Nigeria.
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in the United Arab Emirates.
Sharia means Islamic law based on Islamic concepts based from Quran and Hadith. Since the early Islamic states of the eighth and ninth centuries, Sharia always existed alongside other normative systems.
Rape in Saudi Arabia is regulated by Saudi Arabia's interpretation of Sharia law, under which someone convicted of the criminal offense of rape can be sentenced to a variety of punishments, ranging from flogging to execution. In 2019, eight executions took place in Saudi Arabia for rape.
The judicial system of the United Arab Emirates is divided into federal courts and local courts. The federal justice system is defined in the Constitution of the United Arab Emirates, with the Federal Supreme Court based at Abu Dhabi. As of 2023, only the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah have local court systems, while all other emirates use the federal court system for all legal proceedings.
Capital punishment as a criminal punishment for homosexuality has been implemented by a number of countries in their history. It is a legal punishment in several countries and regions, all of which have sharia-based criminal laws, except for Uganda.
Capital punishment for offenses is allowed by law in some countries. Such offenses include adultery, apostasy, blasphemy, corruption, drug trafficking, espionage, fraud, homosexuality and sodomy not involving force, perjury causing execution of an innocent person, prostitution, sorcery and witchcraft, theft, treason and espionage. In addition to civilian treason and espionage, often considered capital crimes against the state where the death penalty is retained, military laws frequently ordain execution for serious offences, including in jurisdictions where capital punishment is illegal or obsolete under civilian law.
The Islamic Republic of Iran was founded after the 1979 overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty by the Islamic Revolution, and its legal code is based on Islamic law or sharia, although many aspects of civil law have been retained, and it is integrated into a civil law legal system. According to the constitution of the Islamic Republic, the judiciary in Iran "is an independent power". The entire legal system—"from the Supreme Court to regional courts, all the way down to local and revolutionary courts"—is under the purview of the Ministry of Justice, but in addition to a Minister of Justice and head of the Supreme Court, there is also a separate appointed Head of the Judiciary. Parliamentary bills pertaining to the constitution are vetted by the Council of Guardians.
The Criminal Act of 1991 in Sudan was enacted to align the country's legal system with Islamic principles, incorporating Shari'a law. It replaced the Penal Code of 1983 and includes provisions for hudud, qisas, and ta'zir. The Act also criminalises apostasy, punishable by death, and has been criticised for harsh penalties such as amputation and flogging. Significant amendments were made in 2020, including the removal of the death penalty for apostasy and the repeal of Public Order Laws.
Marriage in the United Arab Emirates is governed by a combination of Islamic principles, local traditions, and legal regulations. Islamic marriages within the country are conducted according to Sharia law, where the groom and bride are both muslims, or the bride is from 'Ahl Al-Kitaab', typically referring to Christianity or Judaism. Non-muslim residents and visitors can marry through the UAE Personal Laws for non-muslims or their respective religious or national laws.
In November 2020 the penal code dropped a clause criminalizing wearing clothing deemed inappropriate for one's sex. The law now criminalizes only men who enter a place designated for women while disguised as a woman. The punishment for this infraction is up to one year in jail and a fine of up to DH 100,000 (US$27,250).PDF download
Under the 2021 law, if men and women have sex outside of marriage, the act carries a penalty of no less than six months' imprisonment. Sodomy with an adult male is also criminalized under the law. In both cases, the offenses can only be prosecuted on the basis of a complaint by a husband or male guardian. ... The law disproportionately affects women as it only allows men to complain about and forgive extramarital sex, and provides for only a minimum sentence allowing judges' discretion to provide harsher sentences.
In February an Indonesian woman convicted of adultery by the Shari'a court in the Emirate of Fujairah, was sentenced to death by stoning after she purportedly insisted on such punishment. The sentence was commuted on appeal to 1 year in prison, followed by deportation. In June 1998, the Shari'a court in Fujairah sentenced three Omani nationals convicted of robbery to have their right hands amputated. The Fujairah prosecutor's office instead commuted the sentence to a term of imprisonment.
In the UAE, death penalties are usually not carried out and are instead replaced with another penalty, most often a prolonged prison sentence.
Sharia (Islamic law) courts, which adjudicate criminal and family law, have the option of imposing flogging as punishment for adultery, prostitution, consensual premarital sex, pregnancy outside marriage, defamation of character, and drug or alcohol abuse.