Article 1 of the Saudi Anti-Human Trafficking Law

This is the definitions article of the Anti-Human Trafficking Law. It sets out what the main terms mean wherever they appear in the Law, unless the context of a particular text requires another meaning.

• Human trafficking: using a person, recruiting them, transporting them, harboring them or receiving them for the purpose of abusing them through exploitation. The definition is not limited to moving a person from one place to another; it also covers using, harboring or receiving a person as long as the purpose is exploitation.
• Transnational crime: a crime is transnational in four cases: if it is committed in more than one state; or committed in one state but a substantial part of its preparation, planning, direction or supervision took place in another state; or committed in one state but involving an organized criminal group that engages in criminal activities in more than one state; or committed in one state but having serious effects in another state.
• Organized criminal group: any group of two or more persons that carries out a premeditated act to commit the crime of human trafficking in order to obtain, directly or indirectly, a material, financial or other benefit.
• Child: anyone who has not exceeded 18 years of age.

The remaining articles of the Law build on these meanings; Article 2, for example, prohibits trafficking in any person and lists the means by which it occurs, such as coercion, deception and exploiting vulnerability, and the prohibited purposes, such as forced labor, begging and removal of organs. Anyone who needs to know whether these definitions apply to a particular situation would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in criminal cases.