Article 19 of the Saudi Civil Society Associations Law
المادة 19 من نظام الجمعيات والمؤسسات الأهلية
The Minister may, by a reasoned decision, dismiss the elected board and appoint a temporary one if its members fall below quorum and cannot be replaced, or if a violation is not corrected within one month of a written warning.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يجوز للوزير - بقرارٍ مُسبَّبٍ - عزل مجلس الإدارة المنتخب وتعيينُ مجلسِ إدارةٍ مؤقتٍ للجمعية ، وذلك في إحدى الحالتـين الآتيتين :
أ - إذا نقص عدد أعضاء مجلس الإدارة - لأي سبب - عن الحد الأدنى المحقق للنصاب النظامي اللازم لعقد اجتماعات المجلس المحدد في اللائحة الأساسية ، وتعذر تكملة عدد الأعضاء طبقاً لأحكام النظام.
ب - إذا خالف مجلس الإدارة أيَّ حكم من أحكام النظام أو اللائحة أو اللائحة الأساسية ، ولم تصحح المخالفة خلال شهر واحد من تاريخ الإنذار الخطي الموجه من الوزارة.
2 - على مجلس الإدارة المؤقت أن يدعو الجمعية العمومية للانعقاد خلال ستين يوماً من تاريخ تعيينه ، وأن يعرض عليها تقريراً مفصلاً عن حالة الجمعية ، وتنتخب الجمعية العمومية في هذه الجلسة مجلس إدارة جديداً ، وتنتهي مهمة مجلس الإدارة المؤقت بانتخاب مجلس إدارة جديد.
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 19 explained in plain English
This article grants an exceptional power to dismiss the elected board of directors, under specific conditions:
The power: the Minister may, by a reasoned decision, dismiss the elected board and appoint a temporary board.
Only two cases:
- Loss of quorum: the number of members falls, for any reason, below the minimum quorum needed for board meetings as set in the articles of association, and it is not possible to complete the number in accordance with the Law.
- Uncorrected violation: the board violates a provision of the Law, the Regulations or the articles of association and the violation is not corrected within one month of the written warning sent by the Ministry.
Task of the temporary board:
- Call the general assembly to meet within 60 days of its appointment.
- Present it with a detailed report on the state of the association.
- At that session the general assembly elects a new board, and the temporary board's mandate ends upon its election.
In practice: a board that receives a written warning about a violation has one month to correct it, or it risks dismissal. The temporary board is not a permanent replacement but a bridge back to an election. Anyone who receives a dismissal decision may consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases.
Practical example
The board of an association in Najran received a written warning that it had violated the association's articles of association in the disbursement of funds, and it did not correct the violation within one month. A reasoned decision was issued dismissing it and appointing a temporary board. The temporary board called the general assembly within 60 days and presented a report on the situation, and then a new board was elected.
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 19 of the Saudi Civil Society Associations Law
When can the board of a civil society association be dismissed?
When its members fall below the quorum for meetings and it cannot be completed, or when it violates the Law or the regulations and does not correct the violation within one month of the written warning.
What is the task of the temporary board?
To call the general assembly within 60 days of its appointment and present a detailed report so that the assembly can elect a new board.
Must the dismissal decision give reasons?
Yes, dismissal is by a reasoned decision.
More articles on Board of a Civil Association
- Article 18
The general assembly elects the board by secret ballot; the Ministry may send an observer and may cancel the result within 30 days if it was based on violations, and holding a job and board membership together requires approval.
1- تنتخب الجمعية العمومية أعضاء مجلس إدارة الجمعية بالاقتراع السري. 2 - للوزارة حق ندب من يحضر عملية الانتخاب للتأكد من سيرها طبقاً للائحة الأساسية. 3 - للوزارة
- Article 20
The board must submit to the Ministry, within four months of the end of the financial year, a detailed annual report approved by the general assembly, including activities, an audited financial report and the estimated budget.
على مجلس إدارة الجمعية أن يقدم إلى الوزارة تقريراً سنويًّا مفصلاً معتمداً من الجمعية العمومية عن القوائم المالية للسنة المالية المنتهية خلال أربعة أشهر من نهاية
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.