Article 142 of the Saudi Commercial Court Law
المادة 142 من النظام التجاري نظام المحكمة التجارية · الفصل الحادي عشر: في العقوبات
This article punishes merchants and brokers who spread untrue things falsely to affect prices with imprisonment from one month to three months or a fine.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
كل من يجسر من التجار والدلالين أي السماسرة بأنواعهم على نشر أمور غير صحيحة بين الناس افتراء بقصد تشويش الأفكار لزيادة أسعار شيء من الأموال أو نقصانه يعاقب بالحبس من شهر إلى ثلاثة أشهر أو بغرامة مالية من عشرة جنيه إلى خمسين جنيها.
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 142 explained in plain English
This article protects the market from price manipulation through false news.
Who is punished: merchants and brokers, meaning intermediaries of all kinds.
The act: spreading untrue things among people, falsely.
The intent: to confuse minds, in order to raise or lower the prices of some property.
The penalty: imprisonment from one month to three months, or a fine of ten pounds to fifty pounds.
The article requires three elements: the things spread must be untrue, spreading them must be false, and the intent must be to affect prices, upward or downward. It does not punish a mere mistake in information made without intent.
The reasoning is that market prices must reflect real supply and demand, not artificial rumors from which the spreader benefits at others' expense.
The fine is set in pounds, which reflects the time the law was issued. Before it, Article 141 punishes an agent or broker who buys his principal's property for himself. Article 143 follows, punishing a broker who introduces fraud into buying and selling.
If you have been harmed by false rumors that affected the prices of your goods, consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal and commercial cases.
Practical example
A merchant in Jeddah spread among merchants the false news that sugar shipments would stop for months, in order to raise the price of his stock. Under this article he is punished with imprisonment from one month to three months or a fine, because he spread untrue things falsely with the intent to increase prices.
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 142 of the Saudi Commercial Court Law
What is the penalty for spreading rumors to affect prices?
Imprisonment from one month to three months, or a fine of ten pounds to fifty pounds.
Who does the article cover?
Merchants and brokers, meaning intermediaries of all kinds.
More articles on Commercial Penalties
- Article 5
The article requires every merchant to deal with integrity and honor, without fraud, deceit or swindling, or he deserves the penalty under the penalties in the law.
يجب على كل تاجر أن يسلك في كل أعماله التجارية بدين وشرف، فلا يرتكب غشا ولا تدليسا ولا احتيالا ولا غبنا ولا غررا ولا نكثا ولا شيئا مما يخالف الدين والشرف بوجه من
- Article 41
The article makes every money changer responsible for his work, books and employees, regulates the exchange of coins at the Finance request, and assigns the application of the money changer provisions to municipal councils where there is no Commercial Court.
كل صراف مسئول عن أعماله وانتظام دفاتره وأعمال الأشخاص المستخدمين عنده مما تترتب فيها عقوبة بمقتضى فصل العقوبات : أ- يجب على الطرفين أن يقوموا بكل أمر حكومي إذا
- Article 63
The article prohibits putting dates in transfers ahead of their true date, and treats that as forgery if it occurs.
تقديم التواريخ في التحاويل عن تاريخها الحقيقي ممنوع وإن حصل يعد ذلك تزويرا .
- Article 138
The article punishes a merchant who reneges on a valid sale after giving the release order, even in collusion with the warehouse keeper, by requiring delivery and imprisonment of one to three months.
كل تاجر باع شيئا من أمواله وأموال موكله التي هي تحت تصرفه بيعا صحيحا ثم أعطى للمشتري سند الفسح ( الستمى ) باستلامه من المخزن ثم نكث عن بيعه وعارض في تسليم المبي
- Article 139
The article punishes a merchant who tricks a discerning minor, exploiting his need, into giving a document, by imprisonment of three months to a year or a fine of fifty to one hundred pounds.
كل من أساء الاستعمال من التجار في احتياجات صبي مميز بأن احتال عليه لأخذ وثيقة منه على أي صورة كانت سواء تضمنت استقراض دراهم واستعارة أشياء أو إعطاء أوراق أو إبر
- Article 140
The article punishes anyone who changes words or inserts phrases in a signed or sealed bond or a commercial book through embezzlement and forgery by imprisonment of three months to a year or a fine.
من أساء الاستعمال في سند أو ورقة فيها ختم أو إمضاء أو في دفتر تجاري بتبديل كلمات أو إدخال عبارات تقضى تعهد أو إبراء على وجه الاختلاس والتزوير يعاقب بالحبس من ثل
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.