Article 5 of the Saudi Anti-Harassment Law

This article brings combating harassment into the workplace, and addresses the concerned bodies in both the government sector and the private sector. It contains three provisions:

1) Putting in place prevention and combating measures. Each body must put in place the measures necessary to prevent and combat harassment within its work environment, which must include at least:

• A mechanism for receiving complaints within the body.
• Procedures to verify the validity and seriousness of complaints in a way that preserves their confidentiality.
• Publishing these measures and informing the body's members of them.

2) Disciplinary accountability. The body must hold any of its members accountable disciplinarily if they violate any of the provisions of this law, in accordance with the procedures followed. The article does not specify the type of disciplinary penalties, but refers to the procedures followed.

3) The victim's right to an external complaint. Disciplinary accountability does not prejudice the victim's right to file a complaint before the competent authorities by law; punishing the employee internally does not close the way to other procedures, including the penalties in Article 6, which reach imprisonment of not more than five years and a fine of not more than SAR 300,000, or either, if the crime takes place in a workplace or the offender has direct or indirect authority over the victim.

This article is linked to Article 4, which requires anyone who learns of information about harassment cases through their work to keep it confidential and bars disclosing the victim's identity except as required by inference, investigation, or trial procedures.

Anyone who needs to assess their position in a particular case can consult a lawyer specializing in criminal cases.