Saudi Arabia: Courts to notify divorced women by text message

In a statement, the Saudi justice ministry said women will now “be notified of any changes to their marital status via text message”.

It said the regulation, which took effect on Sunday, is “aimed at protecting the rights of female clients”, who could otherwise be divorced by their husbands without knowing anything about it.

Women will be able to confirm their marital status through the ministry’s website or at their local court.

Saudi lawyer Nisreen al-Ghamdi told Bloomberg: “The new measure ensures women get their [alimony] when they’re divorced. It also ensures that any powers of attorney issued before the divorce are not misused.”