Article 92 of the Saudi Antiquities Law

This article is one of the final provisions of the Law and contains two rulings:

• Replacing the previous law: this Law replaces the Antiquities Law issued by Royal Decree No. M/26 dated 23/6/1392 AH.
• Repealing what conflicts with it: this Law repeals all provisions that conflict with it.

"Replaces" means that the previous Antiquities Law is no longer the reference and this Law has become the reference on its subjects. The second repeal is general, and covers any provision in any statutory instrument that conflicts with the provisions of this Law, even if it was not in the previous Antiquities Law.

Note that the name of the new Law is broader than that of the previous one: the previous law was called the "Antiquities Law", whereas this Law is the "Law of Antiquities, Museums and Urban Heritage". This article does not state the differences in content between the two laws, and those differences should not be inferred from its text.

This article follows Article 91, which sets the competence of the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution to investigate violations of the Law and bring the case before the criminal court, and precedes Article 93, which requires the Council to issue the regulations within 120 days of the date the Law is published in the Official Gazette.

The importance of this article appears when considering past events or acts relating to antiquities; in that case it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in antiquities and urban heritage law.