Saudi Arabia: New Female Footballer Regulations Approved

Gulf News (United Arab Emirates), 15 July 2021: According to local newspaper reports, Saudi Arabia’s Football Association has announced it has approved new female footballer regulations.

The new regulations amend existing regulations.

The amendments will allow a Saudi women’s football league and women’s teams to be created.

They protect the rights of female professional footballers who want to have children during their playing careers.

They include conditions agreed on by FIFA, FIFPRO and other stakeholders. They state female players will be treated the same as men, but they will be entitled to maternity leave during the contract’s term.

They will be paid at least two thirds of the contracted salary unless the local rules or collective agreements provide more favourable terms.

A contract will not be able to state a female player must not be pregnant or get pregnant during its their contractual term.

Their contract may not be suspended during their maternity leave, or deprive them of a maternity rights in general.

It is not clear how long the minimum maternity leave will be nor how long it will last before and after a child is born.

The number of professional players is also not clear and whether amateur players will be allowed to be admitted.

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Saudi Arabia: Banks Should Appoint Anti-commercial Cover-up Official

Saudi Gazette, 14 July 2021: Saudi Arabia’s Central Bank has announced banks should appoint an anti-commercial cover-up official.

They will be responsible for monitoring and reporting suspected cases.

They also have to report the suspected cases to the Director of the Department of Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing.

A Circular to this effect has been issued.

They should have the relevant expertise and competence in tackling commercial cover-up, money laundering and terrorist financing and in drafting policies and procedures necessary to tackle cover-ups and report these cases.

The policies and procedures include developing technical systems to detect suspected cover-ups as well as creating and developing scenarios for account control to tackle cover-ups.

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Saudi Arabia: Foreign Lawyers to be Allowed to Plead in Courts

Gulf News (United Arab Emirates), 7 July 2021: According to local newspaper reports, Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet has approved a Decision to allow foreign lawyers to plead in courts.

They will have to be licensed in the Kingdom and be basic members of the Saudi Bar Association.

They must have a degree from a Sharia college or a Bachelor of Law from one of the Kingdom’s universities or an equivalent of any of these degrees obtained from abroad, or a post-graduate diploma of legal studies from the Institute of Public Administration. They must also have at least three years of practical legal experience. This period may be reduced to one year for an individual who holds a Master’s degree in Sharia or in law, or an equivalent, or a post-graduate diploma in law for Sharia college graduates. This requirement will not apply to a holder of a doctorate in these specialist fields. They must be of good conduct and not under interdiction and must not have been subjected to any hadd or Qur’anic prescribed punishment or any other sentence in connection with a crime which impugns integrity, except where a minimum of five years has passed since the sentence was issued. Finally, they must be residents of the Kingdom.

They will be able to represent third parties before courts of law, the Board of Grievances and other committees set up by laws, decrees and decisions to consider the cases falling within their respective jurisdictions.

They can also provide consultancy services based on Sharia principles and the rule of law.

The Cabinet Decision has amended a requirement in the Saudi Code of Law Practice for lawyers to be a Saudi to practice law in order to be able to plead before courts.

Previously, law firms could only outsource foreign lawyers as legal advisors.

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Saudi Arabia: Early Retirement Scheme Suspended

Al Madina, 22 June 2021: Government institutions have been instructed to suspend the early retirement scheme for employees with an employment period of less than 25 years.

The new instructions were issued in line with a Cabinet Decision to merge the retirement institution with the General Organisation for Social Insurance.

A Cabinet Decision to introduce a united retirement scheme will be issued soon. For full story click here.

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Saudi Arabia: Mining Licenses to be Issued Next Year

Arab News, 18 June 2021: Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister for Saudi Mining Affairs has announced mining licenses are going to be auctioned next year.

They will auction two major mining licenses for commodities including gold, copper and zinc.

The Kingdom is aiming to triple the sector’s contribution to national GDP to 240 billion Riyals and double the number of jobs to 470,000 by 2030.

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Saudi Arabia: Proposal to Allow Foreigners to Own Property Submitted

Saudi Gazette, 10 June 2021: Saudi Arabia’s Shoura Council has submitted a proposal, which if approved, will allow foreigners to own property in the country.

However, they would only be able to do so in line with specific conditions.

They have submitted it to the Real Estate General Authority.

They have also urged the Authority to monitor the governance of entities it regulates including the Saudi Real Estate Institute, the Saudi Centre for Real Estate Arbitration and the Centre for Research and Studies.

In addition, they have asked the Authority to boost its supervisory role in all of its work and work with the relevant authorities to ensure stability in the real estate sector and reduce risks which may occur in the real estate market.

They should prepare its annual report in line with the Royal Decree regarding the rules for preparing annual reports for Ministries, Institutions and Government agencies as well.

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Saudi Arabia: Justice Ministry Launches Labour Calculator Service

Al Riyadh, 3 June 2021: Saudi Arabia’s Justice Ministry has announced it has launched a labour calculator service.

It is aimed at ensuring speedier settlement of disputes.

It is also aimed at boosting human rights awareness among labour groups, making the application of the labour system and its regulations easier in terms of rights and financial disputes and improving the accuracy of the results of calculations related to labour rights.

It will help judges, parties in a case and workers in case preparation.

For full story see https://www.alriyadh.com/1888920.

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Saudi Arabia: MMG Investors Win First Class Action

Arab News, 1 June 2021: MMG investors have been awarded 40.2 million Riyals and won the Kingdom’s first ever class action.

Executives at the construction company, Mohammad Al Mojil Group and an auditor have been ordered to pay.

It follows a ruling by the General Secretariat of Committees for Resolution of Securities Disputes in the case which involved the manipulation of financial statements to give a false impression of the company following its 2008 Initial Public Offering and the subsequent three years.

The Kingdom introduced a new class action regime in 2017 for claims by shareholders of listed companies in the country.

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Saudi Arabia: Cybersecurity Framework Implemented

Arab News, 30 May 2021: Saudi Arabia’s Communications and Information Technology Commission has announced it has started implementing a cybersecurity framework.

It contains a comprehensive set of cybersecurity requirements and controls which will contribute to regulating the communications, IT and postal service sectors.

A risk management methodology has to be adopted and all cybersecurity requirements have to be met by service providers to enable them to effectively deal with cyber threats.

It will apply to service providers in the communications, IT, and postal services sector and is aimed at increasing their security levels.

It aims to ensure adequate cybersecurity measures are adopted in line with best international practices.

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Saudi Arabia: Issuing of Tourist Visas to Resume Soon

Arab News, 27 May 2021: According to Saudi officials, the issuing of tourist visas is going to resume soon.

They were suspended last year because of Coronavirus.

The official added the Saudi Arabian authorities are also working with other Middle Eastern and European nations on a unified protocol to facilitate travel.

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