Article 13 of the Saudi Child Protection Law
المادة 13 من نظام حماية الطفل · الفصل الثالث: المحظورات المتصلة بحماية الطفل
The article prohibits the child's participation in races and sports or entertainment activities that endanger the child's safety or health.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تحظر مشاركة الطفل في السباقات والنشاطات الرياضية أو الترفيهية التي تعرض سلامته أو صحته للخطر.
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 13 explained in plain English
This article does not prevent the child from sports or entertainment in general; it prohibits a specific kind of them: races and sports or entertainment activities that endanger the child's safety or health.
The criterion of the prohibition is danger to safety or health, not the type of activity itself. A safe sports or entertainment activity suitable for the child is permitted, but if the activity exposes the child to danger, the child's participation in it is prohibited.
The child here is anyone who has not exceeded eighteen under Article 1. This prohibition is addressed to anyone who organizes these activities, involves the child in them or allows the child to take part, such as organizers, trainers and parents.
This article is among the prohibitions of Chapter Three, after Article 12, which prohibits works directed at the child that arouse the child's instincts or encourage delinquency. The article does not set out a list of dangerous activities, so the assessment of danger depends on each activity and its circumstances. Anyone who needs an assessment of a particular case, such as a child's injury in an organized activity, can consult a lawyer who specializes in civil and compensation cases or criminal cases.
Practical example
An organization holds a motorbike race on a desert road and allows a 13-year-old boy to take part without protective equipment. This participation endangers his safety, so it falls within the prohibition in the article.
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 13 of the Saudi Child Protection Law
Does the Law prevent children from playing sports?
No. The prohibition is limited to races and sports or entertainment activities that endanger the child's safety or health.
Does the article specify the dangerous activities?
No. The article sets out no list; its criterion is that the activity endangers the child's safety or health.
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- Article 8
The article prohibits employing a child before the age of fifteen, assigning a child work that harms safety or health, and using a child in military work or armed conflicts.
دون الإخلال بما ورد في نظام العمل، يُحظر تشغيل الطفل قبل بلوغه سن الخامسة عشرة، كما يحظر تكليفه بأعمال قد تضر بسلامته أو بصحته البدنية أو النفسية، أو استخدامه ف
- Article 9
The article prohibits sexually exploiting a child or exposing a child to forms of sexual exploitation, and also prohibits trafficking in a child for crime or begging.
يحظر استغلال الطفل جنسيًّا، أو تعريضه لأشكال الاستغلال الجنسي، أو المتاجرة به في الإجرام أو التسول.
- Article 10
The article prohibits using a child in places where narcotic substances or psychotropic substances are produced or traded in any form.
يحظر استخدام الطفل في أماكن إنتاج المواد المخدرة أو المؤثرات العقلية أو تداولها بأي شكل من الأشكال.
- Article 14
The article prohibits any medical intervention or procedure on a fetus except for a medical interest or necessity, without prejudice to what other laws provide.
دون الإخلال بما تقضي به الأنظمة الأخرى، يحظر القيام بأي تدخلٍ أو إجراء طبي للجنين إلا لمصلحة أو ضرورة طبية.
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.