Saudi Gazette report RIYADH – The Ministry of Justice has suspended the license of one marriage official and canceled the licenses of two others due to errors they committed, according to its recent report. The ministry said it was tightening the supervision of marriage officials and issued warnings to six employees, Makkah daily said Wednesday. According to the report, the ministry suspended the licenses of 15 marriage officials during 2013. It also canceled eight licenses and issued warnings to two marriage officials. The ministry suspended the licenses of two marriage officials in 2013. One of them signed a marriage contract for a divorcee who had not been single even three months after her divorce. He also executed a marriage contract with the bride's guardian listed as her half-brother even though she had a brother. The same official executed a marriage contract for a young woman with her brother as a guardian but did not mention the inheritance deed. The ministry said it suspended the other official for amending the date of the premarital medical check-up and not mentioning the guardian's right to execute the marriage. Also, there were many deletions and amendments in the marriage contract and there were no responses to inquiries from the court. No penalties were issued against the two marriage officials, who were suspended in the period August-October, 2013. The ministry said it issued licenses to 264 applicants to work as marriage officials in all regions. Also, during the first quarter of this year the ministry granted 135 licenses to applicants to work as marriage officials. The ministry renewed licenses for 129 marriage officials. In a statement to the press Tuesday, the ministry said the number of Saudi marriage officials reached 5,561 as of the end of Jan. 2014 and their number is increasing. This will help conclude marriage contracts for citizens easily, wherever they are, he said. The ministry said it is keen to issue and renew licenses for marriage official applicants to facilitate the documentation of marriage contracts. The applications are referred to the pertinent committee, which studies the applications and forwards the recommendations for approval.
