[4] Some financial free trade zones in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have their own legal and court systems based on English common law; local businesses in both emirates are allowed to opt-in to the jurisdiction of common law courts for business contracts.
International money launderers, criminals, corrupt political figures and sanctioned businesspeople are prevalent in the UAE where it is easy to hide wealth and engage in moneylaundering.
Each role has specific responsibilities and varying degrees of authority, with superiors exercising control and supervision over subordinates.
Defendants charged with felonies punishable by three to fifteen years in prison with no attorney may have counsel provided for them at the states discretion.
The UAE penal code dictates legal punishments for all crimes and offence in all matters except for blood money amounts which are derived from Sharia law.
[15] If one causes the death or injury of another person accidentally or intentionally, he or she must pay the victim's family blood money as a means of compensation.
Blood money is only payable if the defendant is found guilty under the criminal procedure or legally responsible for the death of the victim.
[23] Abortion in the United Arab Emirates is legal if the pregnancy is a result of rape, incest, at the approval of a regulatory committee, if the continuation of the pregnancy endangers the woman, or if the foetus is deformed and such deformities could negatively impact its quality of life.
[1] Despite this, the United States Department of State has reported continuing imposition of sentences to flogging by sharia courts, as of 2021[update]:[34] ... Sharia (Islamic) courts, which adjudicate criminal and family law cases, still impose flogging as punishment for adultery, prostitution, consensual premarital sex, pregnancy outside marriage, defamation of character, and drug or alcohol charges.
Such penalties were in use in the country in the past; sentences to more severe forms of corporal punishments were regularly commuted.
[38][39][40][41] Current law allows the death penalty for treason, espionage, murder, successfully inciting the suicide of a mentally ill person, arson resulting in death, indecent assault resulting in death, nuclear waste disposal in the environment, apostasy, rape of a minor, perjury causing wrongful execution, aggravated robbery, terrorism, drug trafficking[41] and joining the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
The country also provides welfare benefits such as free medical care, education, and subsidised water and electricity to citizens.
However, the law prohibits criticism and slander of public officials that may create or encourage social uproar.
All sources must be reliable and will not be published until a full investigation has been performed to phish out any fabricated information.
[50] Reporters are entitled to document and publish the details of public trials, except for the names of the accused, victims, or witnesses.