UAE announces major legal reforms

The UAE has announced a raft of major legal reforms, the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued a number of presidential decrees amending some articles in the Personal Status Law, the Federal Penal Code, and the Federal Penal Procedural Law. The highlights of the reforms are as follows: Unmarried couples can live together legally. Alcohol consumption decriminalised. Male relatives will no longer get lighter punishment for assaulting a female relative. Anyone who drinks, is in possession of alcohol or sells alcoholic beverages in authorised areas without an alcohol licence will no longer face penalties. New rules for divorce, separation & the division of assets if a marriage breaks down. Tougher punishments for men - who subject women to harassment of any kind. May include Street harassment/stalking. Suicide/attempted suicide decriminalised. Until now, someone who took their life but survived could have been prosecuted.