Article 2 of the Saudi Anti-Begging Law

This article sets out the basic rule of the Anti-Begging Law, and it consists of two provisions:

1. A comprehensive ban on begging: Begging is prohibited in all its forms and manifestations, and the justification or excuse the beggar offers does not change that. Going back to the definition of a beggar in Article 1, the ban covers direct and indirect solicitation, whether in public places, private premises, through modern technology and communication means, or by any other means.
2. The arresting authority: The Ministry of Interior is responsible for arresting beggars; it is the field authority responsible for apprehending them.

It is important to understand that this article establishes the prohibition, while the following articles set out what follows from it: Article 3 provides for referring the person who makes a profession of begging, meaning someone arrested for the second time or more, to the authority competent to investigate, so that the legal procedures can be taken against them. Penalties are found in the later articles of the Law, and this article does not state any penalty itself.

The phrase "regardless of justification" therefore means that need or personal circumstances do not make begging lawful, even though elsewhere the Law provides for the care of Saudi beggars and the study of their circumstances through the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. Anyone who needs an assessment of their position in a particular case should preferably consult a lawyer specializing in criminal cases.