Article 60 of the Saudi Basic Law of Governance
المادة 60 من النظام الأساسي للحكم · الباب السادس: سلطات الدولة
The Article provides that the King is the Supreme Commander of all military forces and is the one who appoints officers and ends their service in accordance with the law.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
الملك هو القائد الأعلى لكافة القوات العسكرية ، وهو الذي يعين الضباط ، وينهي خدماتهم، وفقا للنظام.
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 60 explained in plain English
This Article contains two provisions relating to the military forces:
- Supreme command: the King is the Supreme Commander of all military forces; the phrase covers all military forces without distinguishing between their branches.
- Appointing officers and ending their service: the King is the one who appoints officers and ends their service, and this is in accordance with the law; the Article does not specify the conditions of appointment or the cases and procedures for ending service.
The Article comes after Article 59, which provides that the law sets out the rules of the civil service, including salaries, bonuses, compensation, benefits and pensions, and before Article 61, which provides that the King declares a state of emergency, general mobilization and war, and the law sets out the rules for that.
It is evident from these Articles that the Basic Law of Governance gives the King the supreme command of the military forces and the appointment of officers and the ending of their service, with the details referred to the law.
Anyone with a matter relating to appointment as an officer or the ending of service should refer to the law that regulates that, and may consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases.
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 60 of the Saudi Basic Law of Governance
Who is the Supreme Commander of the armed forces in Saudi Arabia?
Article 60 provides that the King is the Supreme Commander of all military forces.
Who appoints officers in Saudi Arabia?
The King is the one who appoints officers and ends their service in accordance with the law.
Does the Article set the conditions for appointing officers?
No. The Article provides that this is in accordance with the law without mentioning conditions.
More articles on Defense and State of Emergency
- Article 33
The Article provides that the State establishes the armed forces and equips them to defend the faith, the Two Holy Mosques, society and the homeland.
تنشئ الدولة القوات المسلحة، وتجهزها من أجل الدفاع عن العقيدة، والحرمين الشريفين، والمجتمع، والوطن.
- Article 34
The Article makes defending the Islamic faith, society and the homeland a duty of every citizen, and refers the rules of military service to the law.
الدفاع عن العقيدة الإسلامية، والمجتمع ، والوطن واجب على كل مواطن، ويبين النظام أحكام الخدمة العسكرية.
- Article 61
The Article provides that the King declares a state of emergency, general mobilization and war, and that the law sets out the rules for that.
يعلن الملك حالة الطوارئ ، والتعبئة العامة ، والحرب ، ويبين النظام أحكام ذلك.
- Article 62
The Article gives the King the power to take urgent measures to meet any danger that threatens the safety of the Kingdom, the integrity of its territory, the security of its people, or the work of State institutions.
للملك إذا نشأ خطر يهدد سلامة المملكة ، أو وحدة أراضيها، أو أمن شعبها ومصالحه، أو يعوق مؤسسات الدولة عن أداء مهامها، أن يتخذ من الإجراءات السريعة ما يكفل مواجهة
- Article 82
The article prohibits suspending any provision of the Basic Law of Governance except temporarily in wartime or while a state of emergency is declared, in the manner set out in the Law, without prejudice to Article 7.
مع عدم الإخلال بما ورد في المادة السابعة من هذا النظام، لا يجوز بأي حال من الأحوال تعطيل حكم من أحكام هذا النظام، إلا أن يكون ذلك مؤقتا في زمن الحرب، أو في أثنا
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.