RIYADH — There has been an increase of 47 percent in marriage contracts registered during the period from June 22 to July 21 (Dhul Qada) against the same month last year, according to the monthly statistics released by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Justice. Meanwhile, the number of divorce certificates issued during the month reached 4,079. The ministry's statistical report, a copy of which was obtained by Okaz/Saudi Gazette, showed that the number of marriage contracts executed in the month of Dhul Qada reached more than 19,000, an increase of 47 percent compared to the same period last year. Marriage contracts involving Saudi citizens accounted for 94 percent of the total marriage contracts registered in the Kingdom during the month. About 38 percent of the total marriage contracts were issued in the regions of Makkah and Riyadh, and the number of marriage contracts issued per day ranged between 492 and 1,304. The ministry explained that the number of divorce certificates issued during the month reached 4,079, of which 53 percent were issued in the regions of Riyadh and Makkah. The number of divorce certificates issued daily in all regions of the Kingdom ranged between 117 and 289. Marriage contracts include those issued by civil courts or public courts and those registered through marriage officials duly ratified by the courts. The divorce documents include proof of divorce and khula (separation by way of consent between the spouses) lawsuits in addition to cases for annulment of marriage (faskh) in which verdicts were issued by the general courts or civil courts. The ministry emphasized that the numbers of marriage contracts and divorce documents do not indicate actual rates of marriage or divorce cases in the Kingdom during this month because it does not reflect the actual date of marriage or divorce, but rather the date of confirmation or ratification by the court of marriages and divorces, which may have occurred on a previous date.
