Article 23 of the Saudi Child Protection Law

This article defines the authorities responsible for dealing with violations of the Child Protection Law after they are reported, and divides roles among three authorities:

1. The Investigation and Public Prosecution Authority: handles investigating violations of the Law's provisions and bringing the case before the competent court, subject to paragraph (3) of Article 22, which refers to the Implementing Regulations to set the procedures for reporting cases of abuse and neglect and how to deal with them.
2. The competent court: hears violations of the Law and determines the appropriate penalty against the violator, without prejudice to Article 23 bis, and subject to what other relevant laws provide.
3. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development: follows up the case brought by the Investigation and Public Prosecution Authority until it is decided by a judgment, subject to the provisions of the Law of Criminal Procedure.

Article 23 bis is the one that sets the penalty for abuse: imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years and a fine not exceeding SAR 100,000, or one of them, with an alternative penalty to custodial penalties permitted. The penalty is increased to imprisonment from two to five years and a fine from SAR 100,000 to SAR 500,000 in cases including that the child has a disability or the abuse occurs in the workplace, school, place of care or place of worship or with the use of a weapon, and it is doubled for repeat offenses.

These tracks usually begin with the reporting that Article 22 requires immediately of anyone who learns of a case of abuse or neglect. Paragraph (2) was amended and paragraph (3) added by Royal Decree No. M/72 dated 6/8/1443 AH. Anyone facing a case of this kind is advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.