Article 25 of the Saudi Counter-Terrorism Crimes and Financing Law
المادة 25 من نظام مكافحة جرائم الإرهاب وتمويله · الفصل الثالث: الإجراءات
Article 25 allows the court to issue a judgment in absentia against an accused of a crime under the Law if he was notified through the means of notification or an official media outlet, and he is retried upon arrest or appearance.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تصدر المحكمة حكمًا غيابيًّا في حق المتهم بارتكاب جريمة من الجرائم المنصوص عليها في النظام إذا تم التبليغ من المحكمة عن طريق وسائل التبليغ أو إحدى وسائل الإعلام الرسمية، وعند القبض عليه أو حضوره يعرض على المحكمة التي أصدرت الحكم لإعادة محاكمته.
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 25 explained in plain English
This article deals with the case of the absent accused who does not attend his trial for a crime under the Law.
Its provisions:
- Judgment in absentia: the court issues a judgment in absentia against the accused.
- Its condition: notification by the court must have been made through the means of notification, or through an official media outlet.
- Retrial: upon his arrest or appearance, he is brought before the court that issued the judgment to be retried.
The article balances two things: the case is not held up because of the accused's absence, and the accused gets a new trial once he appears or is arrested. The retrial is before the same court that issued the judgment, which under Article 1 is the competent court.
The article does not state the effect of the judgment in absentia in the period between its issuance and the accused's appearance, nor the details of the means of notification.
This article follows Article 24, which sets out the jurisdiction of the Specialized Criminal Court and the routes of appeal, and precedes Article 26 on connected crimes. A person against whom, or against whose relative, a judgment in absentia has been issued should consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
An accused in a crime under the Law left the Kingdom and did not attend the trial despite being notified through an official media outlet, so a judgment in absentia was issued against him. When he returns or is arrested, he is brought before the same court that issued the judgment to be retried.
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 25 of the Saudi Counter-Terrorism Crimes and Financing Law
Can an absent accused be sentenced in terrorism cases?
Yes. The court issues a judgment in absentia if notification was made by the court through the means of notification or an official media outlet.
Is a person sentenced in absentia retried?
Yes. Upon his arrest or appearance, he is brought before the court that issued the judgment to be retried.
More articles on Trial before the Specialized Criminal Court
- Article 16
Article 16 allows a person harmed by the accused or convicted in crimes under the Law to request compensation from the Head of State Security before going to court; a settlement committee decides within 90 days.
لمن أصابه ضرر من المتهمين أو المحكوم عليهم في جريمة من الجرائم المنصوص عليها في النظام، أن يتقدم إلى رئيس أمن الدولة بطلب التعويض قبل التقدم إلى المحكمة المختصة
- Article 18
Article 18 gives the Public Prosecution jurisdiction to investigate crimes under the Law and to file and pursue the criminal case before the competent court.
تختص النيابة العامة بالتحقيق في الجرائم المنصوص عليها في النظام وإقامة الدعوى الجزائية ومباشرتها أمام المحكمة المختصة.
- Article 23
Article 23 provides that investigation and the criminal case in crimes under the Law do not depend on a complaint by the victim, and a private claimant may bring his claim after the investigation of the public right ends.
لا تتوقف إجراءات التحقيق أو إقامة الدعوى الجزائية في الجرائم المنصوص عليها في النظام أو الجرائم المرتبطة بها على شكوى المجني عليه، أو من ينوب عنه، أو وارثه من ب
- Article 24
Article 24 sets out what the Specialized Criminal Court decides: crimes under the Law, annulment and compensation claims, and requests to enforce foreign judgments, along with the routes of appeal and objection.
تتولى المحكمة المختصة الفصل في أي مما يأتي: 1- الجرائم المنصوص عليها في النظام. 2- دعاوى إلغاء القرارات ودعاوى التعويض المتعلقة بتطبيق أحكام النظام. 3- طلبات تن
- Article 26
Article 26 makes the competent court decide all connected crimes charged against the accused if one of them is a crime under the Law, unless the case papers were separated before being filed with the court.
إذا وقعت عدة جرائم يرتبط بعضها ببعض، وكانت إحداها جريمة من الجرائم المنصوص عليها في النظام، فتتولى المحكمة المختصة، الفصل في جميع الجرائم الموجهة إلى المتهم، ما
- Article 27
Article 27 allows the court to hear witnesses and experts apart from the accused and his lawyer while informing them of the testimony without revealing identity, requires their protection, and lets the court's president allow filming of sessions.
1- للمحكمة المختصة -عند الاقتضاء- مناقشة الخبراء وسماع الشهود بمعزل عن المتهم ومحاميه ويبلغ المتهم أو محاميه بما تضمنته الشهادة وتقرير الخبرة دون الكشف عن هوية
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.