Article 25 of the Saudi AIDS Prevention Law
المادة 25 من نظام الوقاية من متلازمة العوز المناعي المكتسب الإيدز وحقوق المصابين وواجباتهم
The article regulates a committee formed by the Minister to consider violations of Articles 4, 8, 9 and 14 and apply the Article 23 penalty, with its decisions open to grievance before the Board of Grievances.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- تكوّن بقرار من الوزير لجنة (أو أكثر) لا يقل عدد أعضائها عن ثلاثة يكون من بينهم مستشار نظامي، وطبيب متخصص في الأمراض المعدية والوبائيات.
2- تختص هذه اللجنة بالنظر في القضايا المتعلقة بمخالفة أحكام المواد (الرابعة) و(الثامنة) و(التاسعة) و(الرابعة عشرة) من النظام وتطبيق العقوبة المنصوص عليها في المادة (الثالثة والعشرين) منه.
3- تصدر اللجنة قراراتها بالأغلبية، ويعتمدها الوزير. وتحدد اللائحة كيفية عمل هذه اللجنة ومكافأة أعضائها وفقاً للأنظمة والقرارات والتعليمات المتبعة في هذا الشأن.
4- يجوز التظلم من قرارات اللجنة أمام ديوان المظالم وفقاً لنظامه.
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 25 explained in plain English
This article specifies the body that considers the lighter violations in the Law and applies their penalty.
1. Formation of the committee:
- One or more committees are formed by decision of the Minister of Health.
- The number of its members is not less than three.
- Among them is a legal adviser and a physician specialized in infectious diseases and epidemiology.
2. Jurisdiction of the committee: considering cases relating to violation of the provisions of Articles:
- 4: a health body refusing to provide medical care to an infected person because of their infection.
- 8: preventing an infected person from their rights or from education, or dismissing them from work because of their disease.
- 9: imposing an AIDS test in cases other than those specified.
- 14: the provisions on isolation and restricting residence.
It applies the penalty provided for in Article 23, which is a fine not exceeding SAR 50,000.
3. Decisions: the committee issues its decisions by majority, and the Minister approves them. The Regulations set how the committee works and the remuneration of its members, in accordance with the regulations, decisions and instructions followed.
4. Grievance: the committee's decisions may be challenged before the Board of Grievances in accordance with its law. The article does not set the grievance period; it refers to the Board of Grievances Law.
Difference from Article 24: violations of the articles that Article 24 punishes with a more severe penalty including imprisonment are not within this committee's jurisdiction; its jurisdiction is limited to Articles 4, 8, 9 and 14.
A person against whom the committee has issued a decision and who wishes to file a grievance would be well advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases (the Board of Grievances).
Practical example
The committee issues a decision fining a company in Riyadh for dismissing an employee because of the employee's AIDS infection, and the Minister approves the decision. The company considers that the dismissal was for another reason. Under the article, it may file a grievance against the decision before the Board of Grievances in accordance with its law.
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 25 of the Saudi AIDS Prevention Law
Who considers violations of refusing treatment or dismissing an AIDS patient?
A committee formed by the Minister of Health, with jurisdiction over violations of Articles 4, 8, 9 and 14, applying the Article 23 penalty.
How do I challenge a decision of the AIDS law violations committee?
The committee's decisions may be challenged before the Board of Grievances in accordance with its law.
Must the committee include a physician?
Yes. Its members include a physician specialized in infectious diseases and epidemiology, and a legal adviser.
Articles this article refers to
- Article 4
The article prohibits any health body from refusing to provide the necessary medical care to any infected person because of the infection.
لا يجوز لأي جهة صحية الامتناع عن تقديم الرعاية الطبية اللازمة لأي مصاب بسبب إصابته.
- Article 8
The article bars preventing a person living with the disease from their legal rights or from continuing their education, or dismissing them from work, because of the disease, unless it is proven that they deliberately transmitted infection to others.
لا يجوز منع المصاب من التمتع بالحقوق المقرة له بموجب الأنظمة، أو منعه من حق متابعة تعليمه، أو فصله من عمله بسبب مرضه؛ إلا إذا ثبت تعمده نقل العدوى إلى غيره.
- Article 9
The article bars imposing an AIDS test except in specific cases, including applicants to health colleges, health and military jobs, pre-marital checks and pregnant women, without prejudice to Article 13.
مع عدم الإخلال بما ورد في المادة (الثالثة عشرة) من هذا النظام، لا يجوز فرض اختبار الإيدز إلا في الحالات الآتية: 1- المتقدمين للكليات والمعاهد الصحية المدنية وال
- 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 23
The article punishes a person who violates Articles 4, 8, 9 and 14 with a fine not exceeding SAR 50,000, without prejudice to any more severe penalty in other regulations or to the injured person's right to compensation.
دون إخلال بأي عقوبة أشد منصوص عليها في أنظمة أخرى، يعاقب كل من يخالف أحكام المواد (الرابعة) و(الثامنة) و(التاسعة) و(الرابعة عشرة) من النظام؛ بغرامة لا تتجاوز خم
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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.