JEDDAH; The Saudi Supreme Judicial Council has approved the establishment of seven labor courts and 96 labor chambers across main cities in the country, in a move toward empowering the labor force.
The secretary-general of the council, Salman Al-Nashwan, revealed that this is the first phase of a long-term plan. The seven courts are distributed in the main cities, namely Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah, Buraidah, Dammam, Abha, and Jeddah; while the labor chambers are spread in general courts and appellate courts across the country.
The locations of the 96 labor chambers were chosen based on statistics provided by the Labor Ministry on the number of labor disputes based on regions over the past few years. The plan comes as the country prepares to launch a labor judiciary and start its duties sometime around September 2018.
“We have made a careful selection of the judges who will be handling labor courts based on their performance evaluation, their scholarly competence, seniority, high academic qualifications in law and have conducted judicial research related to labor judiciary and relevant international regulations,” said the council.
“They have enrolled in a number of specialized training programs in the judiciary training center.”
Previously the labor disputes have been under the umbrella of Ministry of Labor and Social Development, with the new structure, labor disputes now can be resolved inside specialized labor courts under the Ministry of Justice.
Under Article 34 of the Law of Civil Procedures, labor courts are competent to hear cases related to the labor law, such as disputes concerning labor contracts, wages, rights, and work injuries and compensations; disputes concerning the employer’s imposition of disciplinary sanctions on employees; lawsuits filed for imposing labor law sanctions; and disputes arising from applying the labor law and the social insurance law.
The Justice Ministry said that it has a clear vision toward labor courts, aiming at achieving excellence, reducing the duration of the litigation, achieving integrated digital processing, and bring more assurance and attractiveness to the labor market in Saudi Arabia by upholding justice in the business sector.
7 new labor courts and 96 chambers set up across KSA
7 new labor courts and 96 chambers set up across KSA
- Resolution of labor disputes, which previously were under the umbrella of Labor Ministry, are now to be resolved in specialized labor courts of the Ministry of Justice under the new structure approved by the Saudi Supreme Judicial Council.
Saudi Film Festival to return in April with focus on Korean cinema
- Ahmed Al-Mulla, founder and director of the Saudi Film Festival, said in a statement: “We’re excited to welcome filmmakers to our annual gathering. Our doors are open to all creators, and filmmakers remain at the heart of everything we do
DHAHRAN: The Saudi Film Festival, organized by the Cinema Association in partnership with the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture and supported by the Saudi Film Commission, has announced that it will launch at Ithra in Dhahran between April 23-29.
This year’s festival explores the theme of “Cinema of the Journey,” presenting a selection of Arab and international films, both short and feature-length, that center on journeys and movement as essential storytelling elements.
The program includes road movies, travel narratives and films where physical or emotional journeys drive the narrative.
The theme encourages Saudi filmmakers to explore this subject through their own perspectives. It positions cinema itself as an act of continuous transition, where identity, place, and time converge to shape the human experience.
FASTFACTS
• This year’s Saudi Film Festival will explore the theme of ‘Cinema of the Journey,’ presenting a selection of Arab and international films that center on journeys and movement as essential storytelling elements.
• The program includes road movies, travel narratives and films where physical or emotional journeys drive the narrative.
Following last year’s focus on Japanese cinema, the festival will present a special “Spotlight on Korean Cinema” this year.
Ahmed Al-Mulla, founder and director of the Saudi Film Festival, said in a statement: “We’re excited to welcome filmmakers to our annual gathering. Our doors are open to all creators, and filmmakers remain at the heart of everything we do. This year’s festival creates an atmosphere filled with inspiration, idea exchange, and shared learning. It’s a celebration of cinematic creativity for everyone.”
Tariq Al-Khawaji, deputy director of the festival, added: “At Ithra, we’re proud of our longstanding partnership with the Cinema Association. It has enabled the festival’s growth and thematic diversity year after year, which we see clearly in how we empower filmmakers and create opportunities to engage with global cinema.
“The festival continues to grow across all areas, from preparations and participation to industry expectations locally and regionally. That makes attention to every detail essential.”
Since its launch in 2008, the Saudi Film Festival has played a central role in nurturing local and Gulf cinema. After intermittent early editions, it has now established itself as an annual platform for narrative and documentary competitions, industry programs and project markets.
By bringing together emerging and established filmmakers in Dhahran each year, the festival strengthens Saudi Arabia’s growing presence on the global film stage.
