The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has made drastic amendments to the Islamic Personal Law, which will allow unmarried couples to live together and significantly reduce alcohol restrictions.
Al Jazeera reports that under the new rules, so-called "honor killings" will be a felony.
The government said the legal reforms were in fact part of efforts to improve the country's investment climate and strengthen the "principles of tolerance".
"I can't be happy with the new rules, which are progressive," said Abdullah al-Kaabi, an Emirati filmmaker who has made films on taboo topics such as homosexuality and gender identity.
"2020 has been a difficult and transformative year for the UAE,"
Under the new changes, penalties for drinking and selling alcohol for people 21 years of age or older have been abolished.
Legal reforms were announced on the state-run news agency WEM and in the official newspaper The National.
Earlier, citizens were required to have a liquor license to buy, transport or drink alcohol at home. Under the new law, these Muslims would apparently be allowed to drink alcohol freely.
Another amendment allows "reconciliation for unmarried couples" which has long been a crime in the UAE.
According to The National, there will be harsher punishments for men who harass women in any way.
It should be noted that these reforms have come at a time when a peace agreement has been signed between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
Recently, key leaders and officials of the two countries also met and discussed bilateral trade.
