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AL WALIYAH NEWS AGENCY

Ministry of Justice announces new changes to Sharia in the legal system

The Ministry of Justice today announced in a statement from Minister of Justice Abdullatif bin Farhan Al-Ghassib’s office today that after collaboration with the Kingdom’s ulama as well as the King and Crown Prince, new changes were being made to the system of Sharia in-place within the Kingdom, specifically in regards to Hudood crimes.

Under the current system, the following are regarded as Hudood:
- War against God (Hirabah) and Corruption on Earth (Mofsed-e-filarz). Defined in the Penal Code as Terrorism, Murder, and Rape. Punished with the death penalty without appeal.
- Rebellion (Baghi, Baghat). Sedition is a capital offense and is punishable by death, though appeal to the King is possible.
- Apostasy (Riddah, ردة or Irtidad, ارتداد), leaving Islam for another religion or for atheism, is considered a grave crime against the Islamic state and society and prescribe the death penalty for male apostates. In practice, the sentence is usually revocation of citizenship by the government, and giving the offender 72 hours to leave the country.
- Some types of theft (Sariqa, السرقة). Punished with amputation of left hand or 10 years in prison.
- Sodomy/Homosexuality. Male sodomy or homosexuality is punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Expats are deported. A second conviction mandates life in prison.
- Illicit sexual intercourse (Zina (الزنا). Includes pre-marital sex and extra-marital sex. The official sentence for it is flogging, however this is not practiced. Instead hefty fines and deportation are faced in cases of consensual intercourse.
- Unfounded accusation of Zina (Qadhf, القذف), punished by 80 lashes, however by practice commuted to fines and possible deportation.
- Drinking alcohol (Shurb al-Khamr). Drinking alcohol is fined. Drinking in public is punishable by up to five years in prison. As of 2016, alcohol is allowed in private homes, hotels, and restaurants for those ages 21+.

The Ministry announced that under the new system, Sariqa was being removed due to all time lows in theft throughout the Kingdom. While prisoners were previously given the choice of amputation of the left hand or 10 years in prison, theft will now face a standardized sentence of 8 years.

In addition, zina or illicit sexual intercourse (extra and pre-marital) which carried an official sentence of flogging (no longer carried out as of 2003), would now be officially mandated to result in fines or deportation for foreigners, which had been the common practice since 2003. The same changes were applied to Qadhf, or unfounded accusation of zina.

The law regarding Sodomy was also being changed, from a previous 14 year sentence to a 7 year sentence or deportation in the case of foreigners. A second conviction will no longer mandate a life sentence, instead a 14 year sentence.

The Ministry further announced that changes were forthcoming in regards to Riddah, or apostasy, in the coming months. Sedition, as well as terrorism, murder, and rape would remain subject to the death penalty and have no changes forthcoming.