Article 18 of the Saudi AIDS Prevention Law
المادة 18 من نظام الوقاية من متلازمة العوز المناعي المكتسب الإيدز وحقوق المصابين وواجباتهم
The article binds a person living with AIDS to follow the preventive guidance set by the health bodies and not to deliberately transmit infection to others.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
على المصاب أن يلتزم بالإرشادات الوقائية التي تقررها الجهات الصحية, وعليه الالتزام بعدم تعمد نقل العدوى إلى غيره.
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 18 explained in plain English
After the Law establishes many rights for a person living with the disease, this article sets out their basic duties.
The first duty: following preventive guidance
The infected person must follow the preventive guidance set by the health bodies. Under Article 1, health bodies are any public or private body that provides health care. The article does not specify the content of this guidance; it is whatever the health bodies set.
The second duty: not deliberately transmitting infection
The infected person must commit not to deliberately transmit infection to others.
A note on the wording: the second duty concerns not acting deliberately, that is, what is prohibited for the infected person is intending to transmit infection. The first duty concerns following the preventive guidance set by the health bodies, which reduces the chance of infection being transmitted unintentionally.
Relation to other articles: this article is connected to Article 17, which requires an infected spouse to notify the other party and sign an acknowledgment of that, and to Article 19, which provides for moving an infected person who is doing work in which it is feared they may infect others to the nearest suitable work.
A person facing an accusation of deliberately transmitting infection would be well advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
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 18 of the Saudi AIDS Prevention Law
What are the duties of a person living with AIDS?
To follow the preventive guidance set by the health bodies and not to deliberately transmit infection to others.
Is it enough for the infected person to refrain from deliberately transmitting infection?
No. The article also binds them to the preventive guidance set by the health bodies.
More articles on Duties of Infected Persons and Medical Isolation
- Article 12
The article provides that resident persons living with AIDS who have no outstanding claims are deported, after their rights are settled, immediately to their own countries or any country they choose, and their cases are considered urgently.
يتم ترحيل المقيمين المصابين بفيروس الإيدز وغير المطالبين بحقوقٍ خاصة- بعد تصفية حقوقهم- إلى بلدانهم فوراً أو أي بلد آخر يختارونه، وتنظر حالات المصابين بهذا المر
- Article 14
The article allows isolating a person living with the disease or restricting their residence in a health facility on the recommendation of the competent physician if their condition requires, obliges them not to transmit infection, and requires isolating an infected convict from other prisoners.
يعزل المصاب أو تحدد إقامته في منشأة صحية - بناًء على توصية من الطبيب المختص- إذا كانت حالته توجب ذلك، وعليه الالتزام بعدم نقل العدوى إلى غيره. وإذا كان المصاب م
- Article 19
The article provides that an infected person doing work in which it is feared they may infect others is moved to the nearest suitable work, and refers the work prohibited to the infected and its procedures to the Implementing Regulations.
إذا كان المصاب يقوم بعمل يخشى معه أن يعدي غيره, فينقل إلى أقرب عمل مناسب. وتحدد اللائحة الأعمال المحظورة على المصابين والإجراءات الواجب اتباعها في هذا الشأن.
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.