Article 87 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
المادة 87 من نظام الآثار والمتاحف والتراث العمراني
The article requires government bodies to notify the Authority when they learn of any violation of the provisions of the Law of Antiquities, Museums and Urban Heritage.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تشعر الجهات الحكومية الهيئةَ عند علمها بوقوع أي مخالفة لأحكام 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 87 explained in plain English
This article imposes a duty to notify on government bodies.
- Who it addresses: government bodies.
- When the duty arises: when they learn that any violation of the Law's provisions has occurred.
- The duty: to notify the Authority.
The aim is that the information reaches the body responsible for antiquities, because violations may be discovered by other bodies in the course of their work, such as municipal or security bodies. If any government body learns of a violation of the Law's provisions, it must notify the Authority.
The text is general and covers any violation of the Law's provisions, without being limited to a particular type. It sets no deadline for notification and does not say how it is to be given.
The article addresses government bodies and does not state a similar duty for individuals at this point. No obligations on individuals should be inferred from this text.
This article comes after Article 86, which gives authorized Authority employees judicial police status and allows using authorized employees of other bodies by agreement with them, and before Article 88, which provides that every antiquity seized under the Law's provisions is handed over to the Authority at once. Together these articles form a system of cooperation between the Authority and other bodies in detecting violations.
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 87 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
Must government bodies report antiquities violations to the Authority?
Yes. Government bodies notify the Authority when they learn that any violation of the Law's provisions has occurred.
Does the duty cover all types of violations?
The text covers any violation of the Law's provisions.
More articles on Recording Antiquities Violations and Confiscation
- Article 78
The smuggling provisions of the Unified Customs Law of the Gulf Cooperation Council states apply to smuggling antiquities, and the Customs Authority hands seized antiquities over to the Authority.
تطبق على تهريب الآثار الأحكام الخاصة بالتهريب، المنصوص عليها في نظام (قانون) الجمارك الموحد لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية، على أن تقوم مصلحة الجمارك بتس
- Article 79
Without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties, movable antiquities involved in violations and the funds derived from them, and the tools, machines and means of transport used in specified violations, are confiscated by court judgment.
مع عدم الإخلال بحقوق الغير (حسن النية)؛ تصادر بحكم قضائي الآثار المنقولة التي خالف حائزها أحكام المواد (الثانية، والسادسة والثلاثين، والأربعين) من هذا النظام، و
- Article 80
Without prejudice to penalties, anyone who found antiquities or obtained them in violation must hand them over, anyone who damaged registered sites must pay compensation, and anyone who demolished or built without approval must remove it and restore the site at his expense.
مع عدم الإخلال بالعقوبات المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام: 1 - يُلزم كل من عثر على آثار، أو استولى على آثار مملوكة للدولة بصورة غير مشروعة، أو حصل على آثار بطريقة مخ
- Article 81
Without prejudice to penalties, where survey, excavation, export, trading or museum licenses are violated, the committee provided for in Article 90 may stop the activity, or suspend or permanently cancel the license.
مع عدم الإخلال بالعقوبات المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام، في حالة مخالفة الأحكام والشروط المتعلقة بتراخيص المسح، أو التنقيب، أو التصدير، أو الاتجار، أو المتاحف؛ فلل
- Article 82
Anyone who takes part, by agreement, incitement or assistance, in committing any violation under the Law is punished with the same penalty set for it.
يعاقب كل من اشترك بطريق الاتفاق، أو التحريض، أو المساعدة في ارتكاب أي من المخالفات المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام بالعقوبة نفسها المقررة لها.
- Article 83
Attempting any violation of the Law is punished by no more than half of the maximum penalty prescribed for it.
يعاقب على الشروع في أي من المخالفات المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام بما لا يتجاوز نصف الحد الأعلى للعقوبة المقررة لها.
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.