Article 27 of the Saudi Civil Defense Law
المادة 27 من نظام الدفاع المدني
Article 27 subjects non-military civil defense personnel, in cases of war, emergencies and disasters, to the military service rules in discipline, penalties, detecting violations and investigating them.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يخضع رجال الدفاع المدني من غير العسكريين في حالات الحرب والطوارئ والكوارث من حيث الضبط والربط والعقوبات وضبط المخالفات والتحقيق فيها لنظم الخدمة العسكرية.
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 27 explained in plain English
This article addresses the position of a special category, non-military civil defense personnel, that is, civil defense workers who do not hold a military rank.
The rule is that these persons are not subject to the military service rules, but the article provides that they are subject to them in specific circumstances, and on specific matters:
The circumstances: cases of war, emergencies and disasters. A disaster under Article 2 is anything that occurs, such as a fire, demolition, flood, storm, earthquake or any other incident, that is likely to cause harm or threaten danger to the lives of individuals or to property.
The matters:
- Discipline.
- Penalties.
- Detecting violations.
- Investigating them.
The reasoning is that these circumstances require a high level of discipline and speed in decision-making, so everyone in the field is treated under unified rules. Outside these cases, this article does not subject them to the military service rules.
The details of the penalties and military procedures themselves do not appear in this article, but in the military service rules to which it refers.
Related to this article is Article 28, which prohibits removing or disabling any machine or signal installed for civil defense purposes except after coordination with civil defense, and punishes the violator with a fine not exceeding SAR 50,000 along with obliging him to bear the cost of restoration. A civilian civil defense employee who faces liability in these circumstances can consult a lawyer specializing in administrative matters.
Practical example
A civilian employee of civil defense in Medina takes part in operations responding to floods, and a violation is attributed to him during them. Under this article, he is subject to the military service rules in detecting this violation, investigating it and its penalty, because the violation occurred in a disaster.
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 27 of the Saudi Civil Defense Law
Is a civilian civil defense employee subject to military rules?
He is subject to the military service rules in cases of war, emergencies and disasters, as regards discipline, penalties, and detecting and investigating violations.
Does this apply in ordinary circumstances?
The article confines this subjection to cases of war, emergencies and disasters.
More articles on Penalties for Violating the Civil Defense Law
- Article 28Amended by M/66
Article 28 prohibits removing or disabling any machine or signal installed for civil defense purposes except after coordinating with civil defense, and obliges the violator to pay restoration costs and punishes him with a fine not exceeding SAR 50,000.
لا يجوز نزع أي آلة أو إشارة مركبة لأغراض الدفاع المدني أو تعطيلها إلا بعد التنسيق مع الدفاع المدني، ويلزم المخالف بتكاليف إعادة أصل الشيء المنزوع أو المعطل إلى
- Article 29Amended by M/66
Article 29 gives the Minister of the Interior, Chairman of the Civil Defense Council, in emergencies and disasters, the power to issue decisions implementing the civil defense plan and set penalties for violating it, up to imprisonment for one year and a fine of SAR 50,000.
مع مراعاة ما تقضي به الأنظمة، يصدر وزير الداخلية رئيس مجلس الدفاع المدني في حالات الطوارئ والكوارث، قرارات بتنفيذ خطة الدفاع المدني، ويعين في قراراته العقوبات ا
- Article 30Amended by M/66
Article 30 sets the general penalty for violating the Civil Defense Law, its regulations and decisions at imprisonment for up to six months or a fine of up to SAR 30,000, or both, and creates committees to hear violations and impose fines.
أ - مع مراعاة المواد (السابعة والعشرين) و (الثامنة والعشرين) و (التاسعة والعشرين) ، يعاقب المخالف لأي حكم من أحكام هذا النظام أو لوائحه أو القرارات الصادرة بناء
- Article 31Amended by M/66
Article 31 allows anyone against whom a penalty decision has been issued under the Civil Defense Law to appeal it before the Board of Grievances within 60 days of being notified of the decision.
يجوز التظلم من قرار العقوبة أمام ديوان المظالم خلال ستين يوما من تاريخ إبلاغ القرار.
- Article 32
Article 32 provides that violations of the Civil Defense Law are detected and investigated under rules and procedures set by the Minister of the Interior, Chairman of the Civil Defense Council, subject to Article 27.
مع مراعاة المادة السابعة والعشرين يتم ضبط مخالفات هذا النظام والتحقيق فيها وفق قواعد وإجراءات يضعها وزير الداخلية ورئيس مجلس الدفاع المدني .
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.