Article 23 of the Saudi Agriculture Law
المادة 23 من نظام الزراعة
The article lists violations of the Law: concealing information or giving it misleadingly to the Ministry or inspectors, obstructing inspectors' work, and violating license conditions and controls.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يعد من مخالفات النظام القيام بأي من الأفعال الآتية:
1- إخفاء معلومات أو بيانات عن الوزارة أو المفتشين، أو تقديمها بشكل مضلل أو غير صحيح.
2- إعاقة عمل المفتشين.
3- مخالفة شروط التراخيص وضوابطها.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 23 explained in plain English
This article identifies three acts that count as violations of the Law:
- Concealing information or data from the Ministry or inspectors, or giving it in a misleading or incorrect way. The violation is therefore committed not only by concealing, but also by giving false or misleading information.
- Obstructing the work of inspectors.
- Violating the conditions and controls of licenses.
The article's wording, "counts as violations of the Law", indicates that these acts are not the only violations; it expressly confirms that these acts are violations, without denying that others are too.
The practical benefit for owners of agricultural facilities is that dealings with inspectors must rest on transparency: giving inaccurate data about the area, the number of livestock or the source of products may be treated as a violation. Complying with license conditions is also not a formality, since violating them is a violation of the Law.
This article does not set the penalty; for that, refer to Article 24 and the articles after it, which regulate catching violations and penalties. This article differs from the provisions that prohibit specific acts in Article 22, such as moving infected resources without approval.
If you have a specific situation, it is best to consult a lawyer specializing in agricultural and environmental laws.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 23 of the Saudi Agriculture Law
What violations does the Agriculture Law provide for?
The violations include concealing information or data from the Ministry or inspectors or giving it misleadingly, obstructing the work of inspectors, and violating license conditions and controls.
Is giving an inspector false information a violation?
Yes. Giving information or data in a misleading or incorrect way counts as a violation of the Law.
More articles on Agriculture Violations and Penalties
- Article 24
The text regulates Ministry inspectors in catching and investigating violations, the duty to give them access, their powers of stopping, inspection, sampling, custody and closure, and assigning some tasks to companies.
1- يتولى مفتشون -يصدر بتحديدهم قرار من الوزير- مجتمعين أو منفردين ضبط مخالفات أحكام النظام واللائحة، والتحقيق فيها، وإثباتها، وتحدد اللائحة آليات عملهم؛ وذلك دو
- Article 25
A violator of the Law or Implementing Regulations is punished by a fine of up to SAR 15 million, license suspension of up to a year, license cancellation, or facility closure of up to a month; the Minister issues violation tables.
1- دون إخلال بما ورد في المادة (الثامنة والعشرين) من النظام، وأي عقوبة أشد ينص عليها نظام آخر، يعاقب كل من يخالف أي من أحكام النظام أو اللائحة بواحدة -أو أكثر-
- Article 26
The article allows the Ministry to impose a fine of up to SAR 100,000 and a daily fine, establishes committees to decide violations and objections, and allows a grievance before the Administrative Court.
1- دون إخلال بما ورد في الفقرة (2) من هذه المادة، والمادة (الحادية والثلاثين) من النظام، تتولى الوزارة إيقاع عقوبة الغرامة التي لا تزيد على (100.000) مائة ألف ر
- Article 27
The article gives the Article 26 committee power to order the violator to remove the violation, impose a daily fine, double the fine for repeats within 3 years, publish the decision, and request confiscation.
للجنة المشار إليها في المادة (السادسة والعشرين) من النظام ما يأتي: 1- تضمين القرار -الصادر بتحديد العقوبة- النص على إلزام المخالف بإزالة المخالفة. 2- فرض غرامة
- Article 30
Anyone who attempts to violate the Law or Implementing Regulations is punished by no more than half the prescribed penalty, and on repeat by the same penalty prescribed for the violation.
يعاقب من يشرع في مخالفة أي حكم من أحكام النظام أو اللائحة بما لا يتجاوز نصف العقوبة المقرة نظامًا. وفي حال التكرار يعاقب بالعقوبة ذاتها المقررة للمخالفة.
- Article 31
The competent court handles the violations in Article 28 and their penalties, and may order confiscation, a daily fine, doubled penalties for repeat offenses and publication of a summary of the judgment.
تتولى المحكمة المختصة النظر في المخالفات المشار إليها في المادة (الثامنة والعشرين) من النظام، وإيقاع العقوبات المنصوص عليها في تلك المادة، ويجوز لها ما يأتي: 1-
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.