Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Executive courts across the Kingdom receive requests to secure financial claims amounting to a total SR1 billion on average each day, according to statistics released by the Justice Ministry.

During the 21 working days in the Hijri month of Jamad Al-Awwal, the courts received 51,000 petitions involving a total of SR23.7 billion in unsettled claims.

The number of such applications during the month rose by 24 percent compared to the same period last year when the applications numbered 39,000 to secure SR13.9 billion.

The Riyadh region reported the largest number of petitions last month with 14,673 applications for SR7 billion, followed by Makkah region with 13,631 applications worth SR8.9 billion, Eastern Province with 8,507 applications worth SR6.5 billion and Madinah with 4,340 applications worth SR328 million.

Petitions received by executive courts in other regions were: Asir 2,339 for SR149 million, Qassim 2,147 for SR237 million, Jazan 1,762 for SR83 million, Tabuk 1,553 for SR116 million, Najran 1,124 for SR67 million, Hail 851 for SR47 million, Al-Jouf 766 for SR38 million, Northern Border 564 for SR30 million, and Baha 560 cases for SR26 million.

Justice Minister Dr. Walid Al-Samaani, chairman of the Supreme Judiciary Council, issued a number of decisions recently to change some articles of the executive bylaw to strengthen executive courts and protect the rights of plaintiffs.

The new changes call for depositing the full amount of money awarded in favor of the plaintiff in the account of the executive court and imprisonment of defendants who refuse to pay the dues. Defaulters will not be granted bail without the consent of their creditors.

Meanwhile, the executive court in Jeddah has ordered a Saudi company to pay more than SR280 million in contractual obligations to two Japanese companies. The awards were based on two commercial arbitration awards issued by an international jury chosen by the companies to litigate their dispute, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Saudi company had deposited the amount in the court's account before challenging the decision in a petition that presented its version in the disputed settlement. However, the court ruled to implement the jury's decision and the appeals court upheld the verdict.

The executive court ordered the Saudi company to immediately pay the amount to the two Japanese companies.