legal system saudi_arabia legal system saudi_arabia based islamic law derived ran traditions islamic prophet muhammad sources include islamic scholarly consensus developed muhammad death interpretation judges saudi_arabia influenced medieval islamic golden age texts school islamic uniquely muslim world adopted saudi_arabia form lack judicial precedent resulted considerable uncertainty scope content country laws government announced intention implemented supplemented regulations issued royal decree covering modern issues intellectual property corporate law remains primary source law especially areas criminal family commercial contract law ran declared country constitution areas land energy law extensive rights state effect royal family constitute significant feature current court system created king founded introduced country stages comprises general summary courts administrative deal disputes specific modern regulations trials saudi_arabia bench trials courts saudi_arabia observe country criminal procedure code issued largely ignored introduced number significant judicial reforms fully implemented criminal law saudi_arabia include public hanging criminal offences include internationally recognized crimes murder rape theft robbery adultery addition regular police force saudi_arabia secret police religious police islamic social moral norms western based human rights organizations criticized activities number aspects human rights saudi_arabia include number executions range offences subject death penalty lack accused criminal justice system treatment use torture lack religious freedom highly position women reported saudi_arabia practices concept rule law history islamic law primary source law modern saudi_arabia developed gradually muslim judges scholars seventh tenth centuries time 8th century developing accepted basis law towns muslim world including arabian peninsula upheld local rulers pre islamic local customary law rural areas continued predominant time instance main source law central early 20th century 11th century muslim world developed major schools islamic interpretations preference school advocated movement founded 18th century strict form islam supported royal family dominant saudi_arabia 18th century school central islam cosmopolitan west peninsula schools followed similarly different court systems existed simple system single judges major towns judge appointed local governor worked closely dispose cases sophisticated system courts comprising panels judges conquered united existing territories form king introduced new court system comprising general summary courts ordered traditional system judges left place face conservative opposition religious establishment familiar court system following decades religious establishment allowed introduction rest country additionally 1930s created government committees areas covered royal commercial labor law system courts government created largely remained place judiciary reforms judiciary responsibility country senior religious authority incumbent grand died king decided appoint successor took opportunity transfer responsibility newly established community eastern province separate legal tradition follow apply school conquered area granted separate judiciary dealing religious family law cases judge remained position judges population million number judges increased seven areas law community jurisdiction regular courts courts judiciary court structure court system constitutes basic judiciary saudi_arabia judges lawyers form country religious leadership extra government handle disputes relating specific royal specialist courts including final appeal courts government king courts followed rules evidence procedure courts general jurisdiction civil criminal cases present types courts instance general courts summary courts dealing lesser cases cases single judges criminal cases potential sentence death panel judges courts minority dealing family religious matters courts sit review decisions compliance non courts covering specialized areas law important court originally created deal complaints government jurisdiction commercial criminal cases acts court appeal number non government administrative referred committees deal specific issues regulated royal labor commercial law judges judicial establishment sense composed binding specific court cases members issue highly influential legal opinions senior member judicial establishment highest religious authority country opinions highly influential judiciary judiciary proper body composed judges relatively small number according critics country million generally degrees law islamic university recognized government cases post graduate qualification training received law degrees entirely religious character based ran centuries old religious reference example modern commercial issues judges educated appointed current system older judges received traditional training years instruction religious mentor mosque capabilities nature judges criticized main complaint reportedly privately judges wide discretion interpreting knowledge modern world reported examples judges attitudes include banning things children game play recorded music sending flowers hospital patients judges come narrow recruitment pool estimate judges senior judges come province center country population known strict religious saudi_arabia senior judges allow like minded graduates select religious join judiciary remove judges stray away conservative reforms developments system justice criticized slow lacking justice unable deal modern world king issued royal aim reforming judiciary creating new court system reforms implemented include creation supreme_court transfer commercial criminal jurisdictions general court system new specialist instance courts established comprising general criminal personal status commercial labor courts courts lose general jurisdiction hear cases work load government administrative transferred new courts important change establishment appeal courts province claimed reforms establish system incorporating principle judicial precedent court practice created court tries suspected terrorists human rights activists june court started trials people suspected involved compound bombings september suspects appeared court year court held trial sessions human rights activists including founder air lawyer long term prisoners spoke protest court convicted human rights activists sentences years november king number significant changes judiciary personnel senior level bringing younger generation example appointing new minister justice new chairman appointed outgoing chairman known oppose king appointed new head chief justice new supreme_court january royal decree headed justice minister chief justice supreme_court member law enforcement police department divided forces regular police secret police religious police regular secret police official regular police force handles day day police activities highly centralized force usually headed member royal family secret police deals domestic security counter intelligence runs prison holds prisoners arbitrary detention objected arbitrary detention religious police individual religious police prevention vice police organization enforce islamic codes behavior numbering men law enforcement ensure strict separation sexes public businesses close prayer time pressure women wear traditional dress areas prevent driving cars accompanied police escort order detention arrest criticism grown died fire school allegedly prevented male entering girls major areas law constitutional law saudi_arabia absolute monarchy legally binding written constitution basic law adopted royal decree basic law outlines responsibilities processes governing institutions specific considered constitution declares king comply islamic law traditions muhammad country constitution interpretation remains necessary carried religious establishment basic law states monarchy system rule rulers country shall sons founder king descendants upright shall receive allegiance according god book messenger traditions government derives authority book god prophet ultimate sources reference law laws state governance based justice consultation equality according criminal law saudi_arabia uses bench trial system courts observe country criminal procedure code introduced contains provisions borrowed egyptian french law human rights watch report noted judges ignorant criminal procedure code aware routinely ignored code criminal law governed comprises categories fixed specific crimes eye eye general category crimes include theft robbery adultery crimes include murder crime involving harm represents cases defined national regulations trafficking drug abuse common punishment offence conviction requires proof ways confession alternatively testimony male witnesses convict case adultery crime case confession required women evidence normally carries half weight men courts criminal trials women testimony allowed testimony non muslims muslims doctrines considered unacceptable example discounted lastly denial oath required giving oath taken particularly seriously religious society saudi_arabia refusal oath taken admission guilt resulting conviction courts impose number severe physical death penalty imposed wide range offences including murder rape armed robbery repeated drug use adultery carried sword firing squad followed reported executions carried public executions carried reports occurred relatively recently example cases execution reported repeated theft right hand aggravated theft cross hand foot instance judicial reported homosexual acts imprisonment death common form punishment imposed offences religion public morality drinking alcohol neglect prayer obligations practised instance eye removed insistence victim lost eye occurred case reported families killed choose demanding death penalty granting return payment blood money growing trend blood money demands example sum million reported recently demanded officials religious figures criticized trend said corrupted family law laws relating marriage divorce children inheritance codified fall general jurisdiction courts permitted men limited wives time evidence practice increased particularly educated elite result oil wealth government promoted return islamic values program highest religious authority issued opinion calling women accept islamic package declaring necessary fight growing epidemic minimum age marriage saudi_arabia grand reportedly said girls age men right divorce wives needing legal justification divorce effective immediately husband obligation provide financial support divorced wife period months days woman obtain divorce consent husband husband harmed practice difficult woman obtain judicial divorce divorce rate high marriages dissolved event divorce fathers automatic custody sons age daughters age right men marry wives combined ability divorce wife time cause translate unlimited king founder country reportedly admitted marrying women considered extraordinary arabian standards regard law inheritance fixed portions deceased estate left called heirs generally female heirs receive half portion male heirs muslim maximum property non heirs divided heirs commercial contract law business commerce governed commercial jurisdiction rests composed trained judges special tasked finding ways restrictive aspects law established foreign investors content commercial law aspect constitutes invest saudi_arabia governed contract law codified general limitations allows considerable freedom parties agree contract terms contracts involving speculation payment interest prohibited contract breached courts award compensation proven direct damage claims loss profit opportunity allowed constitute speculation permitted non special special committees hear commercial law cases ranging breach contract suits trade mark infringement labour disputes enforce issued king specific modern aspects commercial law example commercial paper intellectual property corporate law governed modern regulations specialist government deal related disputes government recently revised intellectual property laws meet standards admission lack resources new patent law went effect patent office registered patents log applications believed log reduced government putting greater resources unauthorized distribution software printed material recordings videos illegally copied material widely available enforcement efforts supported religious ruling copyright infringement software forbidden islam saudi_arabia special running log countries considered regulate enforce intellectual property rights removed law recognizes corporate partnership entities established company law contract type company void persons contract company personally liable corporations number forms common saudi_arabia partners contribute assets contribute expertise addition company law based egyptian company law identifies forms corporate entity including joint ventures limited liability partnerships labor law employers number obligations including days paid holiday year employment days years continuous service terminated employees receive end service payment half months salary year employed going month employed years land law land saudi_arabia owned government cultivated land urban property subject individual ownership land titles registered accurate information extent registration real estate owned citizens property laws amended allow foreigners property saudi_arabia property investments non million require approval foreigners remain prohibited owning property saudi_arabia categories land developed land undeveloped land protective zones developed land comprises built environment towns villages developed land bought sold inherited individuals undeveloped land comprises rough grazing pasture wilderness rough grazing pasture owned common equal rights use wilderness owned state open specific restrictions imposed land protective owned land undeveloped land defined case town area reached returned day purposes collecting fuel livestock law utilizes form land ownership muslim transfer property foundation long term religious charitable purposes property alienated transferred energy law saudi_arabia vast oil reserves owned government effect royal family article basic law states natural resources god deposited underground ground territorial waters land sea domains authority state revenues resources shall property state provided law law shall specify means exploitation protection development resources best interest state security economy responsible general strategy oil gas sectors monitoring state owned oil company oil gas industries saudi_arabia controlled law near monopoly areas world biggest oil producer middle_east biggest company generally considered important energy company world law changed allow foreign companies look saudi_arabia vast reserves natural gas believed represent world reserves time 1970s foreign companies permitted search oil gas currently electricity industry hands state owned plans announced industry human rights rule law issues human rights issues rule law saudi_arabia attracted strong criticism include criminal law considered cruel position women religious discrimination lack religious freedom activities saudi_arabia human rights conventions government approved establishment staffed government employees monitor implementation date activities limited doubts remain neutrality independence saudi_arabia countries accept universal declaration human rights launched saudi_arabia remains openly opposed declaration response continuing criticism human rights record government points special islamic character country asserts different social political order rule law applied courts judges bound judicial precedent scope content law uncertain study published criticized number aspects administration justice saudi_arabia concluded country practices concept rule law study goes assert judges reach decisions following process lawyers challenge decisions usually appeals king based mercy justice innocence claimed members royal family forced appear courts countries influence receive favorable treatment law according managing editor ruling unwilling let face consequences criminal activity rare occasions arrested crime prince pardoned prince released media mention incident forbidden princes participated disruption gathering hand blue collar foreign workers unable collect salaries ruled favor employers stall payment worker work permits expired women rights department considers discrimination women significant problem saudi_arabia women political social rights visit special violence women noted lack women autonomy absence law violence women global gender gap report ranked countries gender ahead syria pakistan adult woman close male relative guardian result described position women different minor little authority lives guardian entitled number critical decisions woman behalf include giving approval woman travel hold types business licenses study university college work type business deemed appropriate woman guardian approval legally required officials ask women face discrimination courts testimony man equals women family inheritance law religious police impose restrictions women public restrictions include requiring women sit separate specially designated family sections restaurants wear loose fitting length black covering entire body conceal hair women risk arrest riding vehicle driven male employee close male relative written ban women driving cars driving license required law issued women effectively illegal women drive ban enforced saudi_arabia registered female lawyer political freedom freedom speech political parties national elections permitted saudi_arabia according economist democracy index government seventh authoritarian regime countries rated legal protection freedom speech prohibited publicly criticizing government islam royal family press strictly censored articles banned censorship considered restrictive world country blocks broad internet protests occurred early government banned public demonstrations marches criminal trials punishment western based organisations condemned criminal justice system severe reportedly support system maintains low crime rate human rights watch report arabian criminal justice system noted criminal procedure code introduced lacked basic mentioned ignored judges case arrested informed crime accused given access lawyer subject abusive treatment torture confess trial guilt accused unable examine witnesses evidence present legal defense trials held secret public press physical imposed courts number executions strongly criticized religious freedom stated saudi_arabia freedom religion recognized protected law severely restricted practice government policies continued place severe restrictions religious freedom faith islam permitted practised nearly million christians nearly foreign workers saudi_arabia churches non muslim houses worship permitted country private prayer services forbidden practice religious police reportedly regularly search homes christians foreign workers observe allowed celebrate christmas easter conversion muslims religion carries death penalty confirmed reports executions recent years non muslims illegal christian priest expelled saudi_arabia compensation court cases non muslims fault determined muslim receives compensation determined jew christian half sixteenth according human rights watch minority face systematic discrimination government education justice system especially religious freedom restrictions imposed public celebration festivals taking communal public worship march interior ministry issued royal decree branding terrorists defines terrorism calling thought form calling question islamic religion country based lgbt rights saudi_arabia countries world homosexual acts illegal execution raids gay parties men arrested like women usual penalties inflicted limited imprisonment
Legal system of Saudi Arabia