Article 36 of the Saudi Basic Law of Governance
المادة 36 من النظام الأساسي للحكم · الباب الخامس: الحقوق والواجبات
The Article obliges the State to provide security for citizens and residents, and prohibits restricting anyone's actions, or detaining or imprisoning anyone, except under the provisions of the law.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
توفر الدولة الأمن لجميع مواطنيها والمقيمين على إقليمها، ولا يجوز تقييد تصرفات أحد، أو توقيفه، أو حبسه، إلا بموجب أحكام 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 36 explained in plain English
This Article contains two interrelated provisions:
- Providing security: the State is obliged to provide security for all its citizens and the residents within its territory; the protection is not limited to citizens but covers everyone residing in the Kingdom.
- Protecting personal liberty: no one's actions may be restricted, and no one may be detained or imprisoned, except under the provisions of the law. The word "anyone" is general and covers every person.
The meaning of the second provision is that restricting a person's liberty is not left to unfettered discretion but must rest on a provision of the law. The Article does not prohibit detention or imprisonment absolutely; it requires that they be under the provisions of the law. When detention is permitted, who orders it, its duration and its procedures are not set out in this Article.
The Article is linked to Article 37, which establishes the sanctity of homes, providing that they may not be entered without the permission of their owner or searched except in the cases set out by the law; both protect the individual from interference with their liberty or privacy outside what the law provides.
Anyone who has been detained or imprisoned and believes it was not based on the law would be well advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
Khaled is a resident working in Jeddah. Article 36 shows him that his security protection is not limited to citizens, and that his detention, imprisonment or the restriction of his actions is not permitted except under the provisions of the law. As for the details of detention procedures, he refers to the law that governs them.
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 36 of the Saudi Basic Law of Governance
Can a person be detained in Saudi Arabia without a legal basis?
No. Article 36 provides that no one's actions may be restricted, and no one may be detained or imprisoned, except under the provisions of the law.
Does the right to security cover non-Saudi residents?
Yes. The Article provides that the State provides security for all its citizens and the residents within its territory.
Does Article 36 set the duration or procedures of detention?
No. The Article requires that detention be under the provisions of the law and does not state its duration or procedures.
More articles on Personal Freedoms and Guarantees
- Article 37
The Article establishes the sanctity of homes: they may not be entered without the owner's permission or searched except in the cases set out by the law.
للمساكن حرمتها، ولا يجوز دخولها بغير إذن صاحبها، ولا تفتيشها، إلا في الحالات التي يبينها النظام.
- Article 38
The Article provides that punishment is personal, that there is no crime or punishment except under a provision of Sharia or of the law, and that there is no punishment except for acts committed after the legal provision took effect.
العقوبة شخصية، ولا جريمة ولا عقوبة إلا بناء على نص شرعي، أو نص نظامي، ولا عقاب إلا على الأعمال اللاحقة للعمل بالنص النظامي.
- Article 39
The Article requires the media, publishing and all means of expression to use good words and comply with the State's laws, and prohibits what leads to sedition or division or harms State security or human dignity.
تلتزم وسائل الإعلام والنشر وجميع وسائل التعبير بالكلمة الطيبة، وبأنظمة الدولة، وتسهم في تثقيف الأمة ودعم وحدتها، ويحظر ما يؤدي إلى الفتنة، أو الانقسام، أو يمس ب
- Article 40
The Article protects correspondence, calls and means of communication: they may not be confiscated, delayed, viewed or listened to except in the cases set out by the law.
المراسلات البرقية، والبريدية، والمخابرات الهاتفية، وغيرها من وسائل الاتصال، مصونة، ولا يجوز مصادرتها، أو تأخيرها، أو الاطلاع عليها، أو الاستماع إليها، إلا في ال
- Article 41
The Article requires residents of the Kingdom to comply with its laws and to observe the values of Saudi society and respect its traditions and feelings.
يلتزم المقيمون في المملكة العربية السعودية بأنظمتها، وعليهم مراعاة قيم المجتمع السعودي واحترام تقاليده ومشاعره.
- Article 43
The Article provides that the King's majlis and the Crown Prince's majlis are open to every citizen and to anyone with a complaint or grievance, and that every individual has the right to address the public authorities.
مجلس الملك ومجلس ولي العهد، مفتوحان لكل مواطن، ولكل من له شكوى أو مظلمة، ومن حق كل فرد مخاطبة السلطات العامة فيما يعرض له من الشئون.
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.