Abu Dhabi issues law on divorce, inheritance for non-Muslims

Dubai, November 8

The capital of the United Arab Emirates has issued new rules governing divorce, inheritance and child custody for non-Muslims in Abu Dhabi, the country's state-run news agency reported.

The report on Sunday by the news agency said Abu Dhabi would create a new court to handle these cases, which will be held in both Arabic and English to be better understood by the emirate's vast foreign worker population.

Change in child custody will allow parents to share joint custody of their children, the agency reported. The law also introduces the idea of civil marriage, allows wills to be drawn up granting inheritance to whomever a person chooses and deals with paternity issues.

Abu Dhabi is one of the seven sheikhdoms that make up the UAE and the new law affects only this sheikhdom. While the oil-rich emirate is the capital of the nation, Abu Dhabi's population is dwarfed by that of neighbouring Dubai.

The law comes after authorities last year said they would overhaul of the country's Islamic personal laws, allowing unmarried couples to cohabitate, loosening alcohol restrictions and criminalising so-called “honour killings”. — AP

Indian community hails civil law

Abu Dubai: The Indian community in the UAE on Monday hailed the landmark new civil law for non-Muslims in Abu Dhabi. PTI