Article 3 of the Saudi Anti-Bribery Law
المادة 3 من نظام مكافحة الرشوة
The article treats as a bribe-taker a public employee who requests, accepts or takes a promise or gift to breach his job duties or as a reward for what he did, even without a prior agreement.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
كل موظف عام طلب لنفسه أو لغيره أو قبل أو أخذ وعدا أو عطية للإخلال بواجبات وظيفته أو لمكافأته على ما وقع منه ولو كان ذلك بدون اتفاق سابق، يعد مرتشيا ويعاقب بالعقوبة المنصوص عليها في المادة الأولى من هذا النظام.
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 3 explained in plain English
This article widens the scope of bribery to include two forms that Articles 1 and 2 do not directly cover.
- Breaching the duties of the job: a public employee requests, accepts or takes a promise or gift, for himself or for another, in order to breach his job duties.
- A later reward: an employee requests, accepts or takes a promise or gift as a reward for what he did, that is, for an act he has already done.
The most notable point is that the text provides that the offense is committed even without a prior agreement; there need not be an agreement between the employee and the interested party before the act, and it is enough that the employee takes the gift as a reward for what he did.
The penalty: the penalty provided in Article 1, that is, imprisonment for a period not exceeding ten years and a fine not exceeding SAR 1 million, or either of these penalties.
This article differs from Article 4, which deals with an employee who breaches his job duties as a result of a request, recommendation or mediation without a gift, and whose penalty is lighter: imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to SAR 100,000, or either.
In ambiguous cases, such as offering what is called a gift after a transaction is completed, it is wise to consult a lawyer specializing in criminal matters before acting.
Practical example
A government employee in Dammam completed a company's transaction in the usual way with no prior agreement, and a week later the company's manager sent him a sum of money as a reward for completing it, and he accepted it. This article applies to the employee because he accepted a gift as a reward for what he did, even though there was no prior agreement between them.
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 3 of the Saudi Anti-Bribery Law
Is an employee's acceptance of a gift after completing a transaction bribery?
The article treats the employee as a bribe-taker if he requests, accepts or takes a promise or gift as a reward for what he did, even without a prior agreement.
What is the penalty for an employee who takes money to breach his job duties?
He is punished with the penalty in Article 1: imprisonment for a period not exceeding ten years and a fine not exceeding SAR 1 million, or either.
Is a prior agreement between the employee and the interested party required?
No. The article provides that the offense is committed even without a prior agreement.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Penalty for Bribery
- Article 1
The article treats as a bribe-taker any public employee who requests, accepts or takes a promise or gift to perform an act of his job, punishable by up to ten years' imprisonment and a fine of up to SAR 1 million, or either.
كل موظف عام طلب لنفسه أو لغيره أو قبل أو أخذ وعدا أو عطية لأداء عمل من أعمال وظيفته أو يزعم أنه من أعمال وظيفته ولو كان هذا العمل مشروعا، يعد مرتشيا ويعاقب بالس
- Article 2
The article treats as a bribe-taker a public employee who requests, accepts or takes a promise or gift to refrain from an act of his job, punishable under Article 1.
كل موظف عام طلب لنفسه أو لغيره أو قبل أو أخذ وعدا أو عطية للامتناع عن عمل من أعمال وظيفته أو يزعم أنه من أعمال وظيفته ولو كان هذا الامتناع مشروعا، يعد مرتشيا وي
- Article 4
The article treats as the equivalent of a bribe-taker a public employee who breaches his job duties as a result of a request, recommendation or mediation, punishable by up to three years' imprisonment and a fine of up to SAR 100,000, or either.
كل موظف عام أخل بواجبات وظيفته بأن قام بعمل أو امتنع عن عمل من أعمال تلك الوظيفة نتيجة لرجاء أو توصية أو وساطة، يعد في حكم المرتشي ويعاقب بالسجن مدة لا تتجاوز ث
- Article 5Amended by M/38
The article treats as a bribe-taker any person who requests, accepts or takes a promise or gift to use real or claimed influence to obtain a benefit from a public authority.
كل شخص طلب لنفسه أو لغيره أو قبل أو أخذ وعدا أو عطية لاستعمال نفوذ حقيقي أو مزعوم للحصول أو لمحاولة الحصول من أية سلطة عامة على عمل أو أمر أو قرار أو التزام أو
- Article 7
The article punishes, with the penalty in Article 1, anyone who uses force, violence or threat against a public employee to obtain an unlawful act from him or to make him refrain from a duty assigned to him by law.
يعاقب بالعقوبة المنصوص عليها في المادة الأولى من هذا النظام من يستعمل القوة أو العنف أو التهديد في حق موظف عام ليحصل منه على قضاء أمر غير مشروع أو ليحمله على اج
- Article 12
The article broadens the meaning of promise or gift in bribery offenses to include every benefit or advantage the bribe-taker can obtain, material or non-material, of whatever type or name.
يعتبر من قبيل الوعد أو العطية - في تطبيق هذا النظام - كل فائدة أو ميزة يمكن أن يحصل عليها المرتشي أيا كان نوع هذه الفائدة أو تلك الميزة أو اسمها سواء كانت مادية
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.