Article 15 of the Saudi Anti-Cybercrime Law
المادة 15 من نظام مكافحة جرائم المعلوماتية
The article assigns investigation and prosecution in the crimes provided for in the Anti-Cybercrime Law to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تتولى هيئة التحقيق والادعاء العام التحقيق والادعاء في الجرائم الواردة في 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 15 explained in plain English
This article specifies the authority responsible for investigation and prosecution in cybercrimes, which is the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution.
This jurisdiction covers two matters:
- Investigation of the crimes provided for in the law.
- Prosecution in them, that is, representing the side of the accusation in these crimes.
It covers all the crimes provided for in this law without exception, from eavesdropping, blackmail, and defamation, to online fraud and data leaks, to content crimes and online terrorist crimes.
The article does not address the procedures or periods of investigation or how to submit a report; these are matters the text does not mention.
This article is complemented by Article 14, which requires the Communications and Information Technology Commission, according to its jurisdiction, to provide technical support and assistance to the competent security authorities during the detection of crimes, their investigation, and during trial. Technical support is the role of that Commission, while investigation and prosecution are the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution under this article.
In practice, this means a cybercrime case passes through a stage of investigation and prosecution with this Bureau before trial. Anyone who is a party to a cybercrime case, whether a victim or an accused, would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in cybercrime to follow its stages.
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 15 of the Saudi Anti-Cybercrime Law
Who investigates cybercrimes in Saudi Arabia?
The Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution handles investigation and prosecution in the crimes provided for in the Anti-Cybercrime Law.
Does the Bureau's jurisdiction cover all cybercrimes?
Yes. The text assigns it investigation and prosecution in the crimes provided for in this law without exception.
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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.