Benjamin Filaferro, Author at LexisNexis Middle East

Turkey: Prosecutor Launches Probe Into Help Turkey Social Media Posts

08/08/202108/08/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Hurriyet, 5 August 2021: The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched a probe into social media posts that asked for foreign help with the hashtag Help Turkey following wildfires in the country.

In a statement on 5 August 2021, the prosecutor’s office argued that the posts were trying to show the country as ‘incapable’ and had ‘attempted to create panic, fear and concern among the public.

It was stated as a result of an examination, it had been determined that some individuals and groups were trying to create anxiety, fear and panic among the people and humiliate the Turkish state and government through real or bot accounts.

It was stated the accounts had disseminated what was described as ‘unreal content’ on the fires and tried to create an environment of ‘chaos by provoking social media users who were sensitive about the subject’.

It was added by the Prosecution that the same accounts had been previously been used by terrorist organisations.

It was said that it had been decided that there was visual and written content that had negatively affected the morale and motivation of public officials and volunteers fighting the fires by putting allegations and news (which were said to be without a basis) into circulation, causing the people in the region to despair, and were intended to show the state was incapable of fighting the fire which constituted a crime.

The prosecutor has drawn up charges of ‘insulting a public employee’, ‘insulting the president’, insulting the government, ‘causing concern, fear and panic among the public’; and ‘inciting hatred and enmity’.

Instructions have been given to carry out the necessary technical analysis in order to identify the real individuals who have participated in the crime; by coordinating fake accounts and circulating the posts which contained the ‘criminal elements’. News investigations will begin if a crime is detected.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.

News developments

Egypt: Broker Registry for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises

08/08/202108/08/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Daily News Egypt, 5 August 2021: The Chairperson of the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) has revealed a draft law regulating the finance brokerage activity in the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector has been approved.

The law states a registry will be created for those wishing to engage in finance brokerage activities. The aim is to protect all parties, whether financing entities or individuals dealing with those entities, after they have demonstrated practical application of the provisions in Egypt Law No. 141/2014.

In order to protect the funds of the entities which are licensed to finance MSMEs, the authority’s board of directors has included a draft amendment to the law’s provisions which would criminalise using fraudulent methods for obtain financing from a company, association or civil institution licensed by the Authority to engage in the activity of MSMEs financing. The board of directors have also approved a proposal to amend some of the provisions of the law which regulate consumer finance activity, by creating a register with the authority to register those who wish to engage in paid sponsorship activity, and to protect the rights of entities which work in consumer finance.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.

News developments

Saudi Arabia: 100% Saudisation of Malls Comes into Force

05/08/202105/08/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Saudi Gazette, 4 August 2021: The decision to implement total Saudisation in closed commercial complexes came into force on 4 August 2021 in all regions of the Kingdom.

This follows a ministerial decision to make all jobs in all activities and professions within malls and mall management offices available exclusively to Saudi citizens. However, this excludes a limited number of activities and professions, such as cafes and restaurants where the rate of Saudisation will be 50% and 40% respectively. Hypermarkets and supermarkets ae also covered within the exempt activities..

The decision was the first of three issued by Minister of Human Resources and Social Development in April, which aims to create 51,000 jobs for Saudi nationals in the employment market.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.

News developments

UAE: Back in Transit

04/08/202104/08/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Khaleej Times, 4 August 2021: The UAE National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMEA) has announced that the UAE will allow passengers from all countries to transit through their airports from 5 August 2021.

Airports will allocate special lounges for transit passengers which will have all Covid-19 precautionary measures to ensure the safety of all travelers.

Travel will also resume for transit passengers from all countries from which transit passengers were previously banned provided the traveler submits a PCR test within 72 hours of the time of departure.

NCEMA has also stated that UAE residents which were stranded in six countries from which passenger entry was previously suspended will be able to return to the UAE from 5 August 2021.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.

News developments

Saudi Arabia: Air passengers to be fined up to 500k Riyals for COVID-19 Travel Ban Breaches

03/08/202105/08/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Arab News, 2 August 2021: The Saudi Public Prosecution office has warned it will impose fines of up to 500,000 Riyals on passengers breaching travel ban restrictions by boarding flights to countries which are heavily affected by COVID-19.

Similar penalties will also apply to operators or owners of the means of transportation.

Officials added that severe punitive measures would be taken against travellers who failed to disclose that they had visited any of the countries which were listed on the Kingdom’s COVID-19 travel ban list.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.

News developments

Oman: New Regulations issued to Stop Money Laundering in Real Estate Sector

03/08/202103/08/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Times of Oman, 1 August 2021: A new decision issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning has ruled that real estate firms and developers in Oman will need to make sure they do not accept funding for projects from questionable or dubious sources.

Issued by the Minister for Housing and Urban Planning, the decision aims to combat money laundering. Real estate firms, brokerage houses and developers will bear responsibility for accepting funds which were acquired through money laundering, or other dubious sources.

As part of the regulation, employees must be trained to detect suspicious transactions and the activities associated with them. An effective audit system must also be introduced to verify compliance with external and internal control processes, and policies put in place to act as a deterrent to using laundered funds to finance economic activities. Risk assessment procedures must be documented and regularly updated so that companies are familiar with the latest standards required from them. Procedures must be drafted in writing, so that they can be submitted to the proper government organisations when needed.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.

News developments

Qatar: Deadline for Simplified Tax Return

01/08/202101/08/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

The Qatar General Tax Authority has called on companies which are 100% Qatari or companies which have a Gulf partner who is residing in Qatar to submit a simplified tax return. These returns must be submitted by no later than 31 August 2021.

The authority explained through a tweet which it posted on its official Twitter account – the conditions for submitting the declaration. A company can submit a simplified tax return if the company has capital of less than 1 million Riyals and annual revenue of less than 5 million Riyals. The company’s head office must be in Qatar and there accounts will not require approved by an audit firm.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.

News developments

Saudi Arabia: Three Year Travel Ban Imposed on Nationals who Travel to Banned Countries

01/08/202101/08/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Okaz, 27 July 2021: Officials from the Saudi Interior Ministry have confirmed that nationals who have travelled to banned countries will be subject to a travel ban.

It was stated that the Ministry has warned against travel to certain countries in order to contain and prevent the spread of the new variant of COVID 19. Nationals who are proven to have violated these guidelines could face travel ban for up to three years.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.

News developments

Oman: Cashless Payment Option to be Mandatory from 2022

01/08/202103/08/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Times of Oman, 26 July 2021: Commercial facilities in Oman will be required to provide electronic payment facilities to their customers, starting from 1 January 2022.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, the reform is designed to help achieve a digital transformation in the Sultanate under Oman Vision 2040. In the first stage, electronic payment will be needed for all activities in industrial areas, complexes, commercial centres, gift markets, for food sales, gold and silver sales, in restaurants and for cafes, electronics, building materials, and tobacco sales.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.

News developments

Saudi Arabia: Electronic Calculator Service for Legal Deadline Launched

01/08/202101/08/2021
by Benjamin Filaferro

Almadina, 25 July 2021: The Board of Grievances has launched a new electronic calculator which will help calculate legal deadlines.

The service will help relevant parties know the deadlines for legal pleas against administrative decisions. It will enable the parties to determine the type of the administrative decisions and what is the legal deadline for appealing it. The aim of the new service is to help speed judicial procedure.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.