Article 17 of the Saudi Audiovisual Media Law

This article sets the penalties for violating the Law or regulations, without prejudice to any more severe penalty provided by another law.

Paragraph 1: the penalties (one or more):

• (a) A fine of up to SAR 10,000,000.
• (b) Suspension from practicing the profession for up to 6 months.
• (c) Cancellation of the license.

Paragraph 2: collection and recovery of proceeds

• Collection of the fine is subject to immediate enforcement, meaning it is collected without waiting for any stages beyond its issuance.
• The Authority may recover any financial proceeds the violator obtained as a result of the violation. The violator does not keep the profit of the violation.

Paragraph 3: doubling

The fine imposed or prescribed is doubled in three cases:

1. Repetition of the violation.
2. Its continuation.
3. Failure to correct it within the period the Authority sets.

The text of paragraph 3 says "is doubled", and it does not define repetition by a time period.

Who imposes these penalties? Articles 18 and 19 divide the competence: the Authority imposes the fine in paragraph 1(a) up to SAR 1,000,000, and the primary committee hears what falls outside the Authority's competence. Penalty (b) concerns the workers themselves, which confirms they are subject to the Law under Article 4. A person facing these penalties needs to consult a lawyer who specializes in media regulation and administrative matters.