Article 167 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 167 من نظام الطيران المدني · الباب الثاني عشر: العقوبات والجزاءات
Anyone who commits an unlawful act among those in Article 154 is punished by up to five years' imprisonment and a fine of up to SAR 500,000, or either, subject to heavier penalties in other laws.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
مع مراعاة أحكام الأنظمة الأخرى المطبقة في المملكة والتي تتضمن عقوبات أشد يعاقب بالحبس لمدة لا تزيد عن خمس سنوات وغرامة لا تزيد عن خمسمائة ألف ريال أو بإحدى هاتين العقوبتين؛ كل من ارتكب فعلا غير مشروع من الأفعال المنصوص عليها في المادة (الرابعة والخمسين بعد المائة) من هذا 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 167 explained in plain English
This article sets the penalty for the crimes in Article 154.
The penalty:
- imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years;
- and a fine not exceeding SAR 500,000;
- or either of these two penalties.
The punishable acts: Every unlawful act among those provided for in Article 154, including:
- violence against a person on board an aircraft in flight if likely to endanger its safety;
- destroying or damaging an aircraft in service, or placing a device or substance on it likely to destroy or damage it;
- destroying air navigation facilities or interfering with their operation, or seizing their equipment;
- communicating information the offender knows to be false that endangers the safety of the aircraft;
- violence at airports, destroying their facilities or obstructing their services in a way that endangers their safety;
- seizing the aircraft or taking control of its command by force, threat or coercion; and
- assaulting crew or refusing the aircraft commander's lawful instructions, harassment or sexual harassment, intoxication and damage that disrupt order, and theft on board the aircraft.
Subject to heavier penalties: The article begins with the phrase "Subject to the provisions of other laws applied in the Kingdom that include heavier penalties," so if the act is punishable by a heavier penalty under another law, that penalty is taken into account.
This article follows Article 166, which punishes acts endangering aviation safety, and precedes Article 168 on fines for disruptive passengers. Anyone facing an accusation of any of these crimes needs a lawyer specializing in criminal cases.
Practical example
A person phoned an airport and falsely reported a bomb on an aircraft, knowing his report was untrue, which endangered the safety of the flight. He may be punished by imprisonment for not more than five years and a fine of not more than SAR 500,000, or either, subject to any heavier penalty in other laws.
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 167 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
What is the penalty for harassment on an aircraft in Saudi Arabia?
Harassment or sexual harassment is an act under Article 154, and is punished by imprisonment for not more than five years and a fine of not more than SAR 500,000, or either, subject to heavier penalties in other laws.
What is the penalty for a false report about an aircraft?
Communicating information the offender knows to be false that endangers the safety of the aircraft is an act under Article 154, and is punished by the same penalty.
Can the penalty be heavier?
Yes. The provisions of other laws applied in the Kingdom that include heavier penalties are taken into account.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Aviation Security Offenses and Penalties
- Article 14
Unauthorized persons may not interfere with or obstruct the flight crew during flight, and no one may tamper with the aircraft or endanger its safety, its crew or its passengers.
يحظر على أي شخص غير مخول رسميا أن يتدخل في أعمال أي عضو من أعضاء هيئة القيادة أو يعوقه عن عمله أثناء فترة الطيران ، كما يحظر على أي شخص العبث بأي جزء من أجزاء ا
- Article 19
The owner or operator of an aircraft registered in the Kingdom may not offer or sell alcohol, narcotics or prohibited items on board; arrivals may not possess them, and no aircraft may carry them into the Kingdom.
1 - يحظر على مالك أي طائرة مسجلة في المملكة، أو مشغلها أن يقدم أو يبيع لأي شخص على متنها أي مشروبات كحولية ، أو مواد مخدرة ، أو أي مواد محظور دخولها إلى المملكة
- Article 105
The article prohibits anyone from boarding an aircraft if they show signs of intoxication or drug use.
يحظر على أي شخص ركوب الطائرة إذا كانت تبدو عليه علامات السكر أو المخدر.
- Article 106
The article prohibits piloting an aircraft or working as a crew member while under the influence of an intoxicant, drug or impairing medication, and prohibits taking any of them throughout the period of work.
يحظر على أي شخص أن يقود طائرة أو أن يعمل كأحد أفراد طاقمها ما دام تحت تأثير مسكر أو مخدر أو دواء يؤدي إلى إضعاف مقدرته على القيام بواجباته على الوجه الأكمل، وفي
- Article 153
The provisions of the international treaties and conventions the Kingdom has approved, and the laws applied in the Kingdom, apply to crimes and acts committed against the security and safety of civil aviation and aircraft.
تطبق على الجرائم والأفعال التي ترتكب ضد أمن وسلامة الطيران المدني والطائرات؛ أحكام المعاهدات والاتفاقيات الدولية بهذا الشأن التي وافقت عليها المملكة وأحكام الأن
- Article 154
The article specifies the acts that are crimes against aviation security, such as violence on board an aircraft, destroying it, giving false information, seizing it, assaults at airports, assaulting crew, harassment and theft.
1- يُعد مرتبكًا لجريمة أي شخص يشرع في ارتكاب أو يرتكب عمدا ودون حق مشروع فعلا من الأفعال الآتية أو يشارك شخصا آخر يشرع أو يرتكب هذا الفعل: أ - أن يقوم بعمل من أ
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.