Saudis now have a new line of defense in case they are arrested abroad. Saudi Embassies and Consulates will work to help the defendant financially. A set of measures has been endorsed by Kingdom authorities which define procedures to be undertaken in case a Saudi is held by foreign officals abroad such as Embassies offering legal counsel reported Al-Madina Arabic daily on Saturday. Embassies will be required to provide legal advice and legal representation in court, especially in contract disputes or issues pertaining to civil status. If the Saudi is not able to afford the court expenses, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to bear the brunt of the expenses after a review of the charges. If the charges stem from undisciplined or negligent behavior the ministry will inform the Saudi ahead of time that they will not cover the expenses. Emabssies will also be required to provide a copy of the countries laws and regulations to visiting Saudis in order to avoid any inconvenience. This decision comes after the Ministry of Higher Education which has granted 17,268 Saudi students scholarships to study abroad, as part of the King Abdullah Scholarship Program on Friday. The program was started in 2005 and originally provided 15,000 Saudi students scholarships for their higher education in the US and in Asian countries according to the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia web site.
