Article 22 of the Saudi Counter-Terrorism Crimes and Financing Law
المادة 22 من نظام مكافحة جرائم الإرهاب وتمويله · الفصل الثالث: الإجراءات
Article 22 gives the Public Prosecution the power to identify and trace the funds, instrumentalities and proceeds that may be subject to confiscation, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
دون الإخلال بحقوق الغير الحسن النية، تتولى النيابة العامة صلاحية تحديد الأموال والوسائط والمتحصلات التي قد تخضع للمصادرة وتعقّبها.
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 22 explained in plain English
This article concerns the preparation for confiscation, which under Article 1 is the permanent deprivation of funds, proceeds of crime or instrumentalities pursuant to a judicial ruling.
The article gives the Public Prosecution two powers:
- Identifying the funds, instrumentalities and proceeds that may be subject to confiscation.
- Tracing them, that is, following their location and movement.
It helps to know what these terms mean in Article 1: proceeds are funds arising from the crime, even if converted or exchanged in whole or in part, and instrumentalities are anything prepared, used or intended for use in committing the crime.
The article restricts this power with the phrase "without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties", meaning that identifying and tracing funds does not affect the rights of a person who has no connection to the crime and acted in good faith. The article does not state how good faith is proven or what step the rights holder takes.
This article follows Article 21, on restricting the right to a lawyer during the investigation, and precedes Article 23, which provides that investigation and the case do not depend on a complaint by the victim. A person who believes his property was caught by the tracing and that he acted in good faith should consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
Saad bought a car from a person who was later found to be accused in a terrorist financing crime, and the Public Prosecution traced the funds linked to the accused. The article provides that this tracing is without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties, so if Saad acted in good faith, his rights are taken into account, and he would do well to consult a lawyer on how to prove this.
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 22 of the Saudi Counter-Terrorism Crimes and Financing Law
Who identifies the funds that may be confiscated in terrorism cases?
The Public Prosecution has the power to identify and trace the funds, instrumentalities and proceeds that may be subject to confiscation.
Are the rights of a good-faith buyer affected?
The article provides that the Public Prosecution's power is without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties.
More articles on Precautionary Attachment and Confiscation of Funds
- Article 9
Article 9 allows the Public Prosecution, and the head of State Security at the evidence-gathering stage, to order urgent precautionary seizure, without notifying the person concerned, of funds, instrumentalities or proceeds suspected of being linked to crimes under the Law.
1- للنيابة العامة أن تأمـر الجهة المختصة بالحجـز التـحـفـظي -بـصـورة عاجـلة دون إبلاغ الطرف المعني- على الأموال أو الوسائط أو المتحصلات التي يشتبه ارتباطها بأي
- Article 28
Article 28 requires the competent authority to execute an order for precautionary seizure of funds, proceeds or instrumentalities urgently.
على الجهة المختصة تنفيذ الأمر الصادر بالحجز التحفظي على الأموال أو المتحصلات أو الوسائط بصورة عاجلة.
- Article 58
Article 58 provides for confiscation by judicial ruling of the proceeds, instrumentalities and funds connected to crimes under the Law or prepared for them, even if held by someone other than the offender, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties.
مع عدم الإخلال بحقوق الغير الحسن النية، يصادر بحكم قضائي -بصرف النظر عمّا إذا كانت في حيازة أو ملكية الجاني أو طرف آخر- ما يلي: 1- المتحصلات. فإن اختلطت بأموال
- Article 59
Article 59 provides for confiscating, by judicial ruling, other funds equal in value to the funds, instrumentalities or proceeds if they cannot be confiscated under Article 58 or their location cannot be determined.
إذا تعذر مصادرة الأموال أو الوسائط أو المتحصلات وفقاً للمادة (الثامنة والخمسين) من النظام أو لم يمكن تحديد مكانها، فتصادر بحكم قضائي أي أموال أخرى تعادل قيمة تل
- Article 60
Article 60 bars confiscation of funds, instrumentalities or proceeds if their owner proves he obtained them for a fair price, for a service commensurate with their value, or on other lawful grounds, and was unaware of their unlawful source.
لا تجوز مصادرة الأموال أو الوسائط أو المتحصلات متى أثبت صاحبها أنّه حصل عليها لقاء ثمن عادل أو مقابل تقديمه خدمة تتناسب مع قيمتها أو حصل عليها بناءً على أسباب م
- Article 61
Article 61 allows the Specialized Criminal Court to annul or prevent any act whose parties know it weakens the authorities' ability to recover funds subject to confiscation.
للمحكمة المختصة من تلقاء نفسها أو بناءً على طلب إبطال أو منع أي إجراء أو عمل -تعاقدي أو غير تعاقدي- إذا علم أطرافه أو أحدهم أو كان لمثلهم أن يعلموا بأن أي من تل
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.