Article 33 of the Saudi Counter-Terrorism Crimes and Financing Law
المادة 33 من نظام مكافحة جرائم الإرهاب وتمويله · الفصل الرابع: العقوبات
Article 33 punishes with imprisonment of 3 to 20 years anyone who joins or participates in a terrorist entity, increased to 15 to 30 years for military personnel and those who previously received training with a terrorist entity.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يعاقب بالسجن مدة لا تزيد على (عشرين) سنة ولا تقل عن (ثلاث) سنوات، كل من انضم إلى كيان إرهابي أو شارك فيه، فإن كان الفاعل من ضباط القوات العسكرية أو من أفرادها، أو كان قد سبق له تلقي تدريبات لدى كيان إرهابي، فلا تقل عقوبة السجن عن (خمس عشرة) سنة ولا تزيد على (ثلاثين) سنة.
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 33 explained in plain English
This article punishes anyone who joins or participates in a terrorist entity with imprisonment for no less than 3 years and no more than 20 years. This wide range gives the court room to set the penalty according to the circumstances of each case.
A terrorist entity, as defined in Article 1, is any group of two or more persons, inside or outside the Kingdom, that aims to commit a crime set out in the Law. So joining a group outside the Kingdom also falls within the article.
The penalty is increased to imprisonment of no less than 15 years and no more than 30 years in two cases:
- If the offender is one of the officers or members of the military forces.
- If he has previously received training with a terrorist entity.
This article complements those before and after it: Article 32 punishes establishing, managing or leading the entity with a more severe penalty (15 to 25 years), and Article 34 punishes supporting terrorist thought or a terrorist entity, calling for it or praising it with imprisonment of 3 to 8 years, even without joining it.
A person facing an accusation of joining or participating should consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases to assess his position.
Practical example
A young man traveled and joined a group outside the Kingdom that aims to commit terrorist crimes, and took part in its activities. If this is established, he is punished with imprisonment of 3 to 20 years, and if he had received training with that group before, the penalty is no less than 15 years and no more than 30 years.
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 33 of the Saudi Counter-Terrorism Crimes and Financing Law
What is the penalty for joining a terrorist organization in Saudi Arabia?
Imprisonment for no less than 3 years and no more than 20 years for anyone who joins or participates in a terrorist entity.
Is the penalty different if the person joining is a military member?
Yes. If he is one of the officers or members of the military forces, the penalty is no less than 15 years and no more than 30 years.
Is a person who joins a terrorist entity outside the Kingdom punished?
Yes. Under Article 1, a terrorist entity includes groups inside or outside the Kingdom.
More articles on Penalty for Joining a Terrorist Entity
- Article 32
Article 32 punishes with imprisonment of 15 to 25 years anyone who establishes, manages or leads a terrorist entity, increased to 20 to 30 years for military personnel and those who received training with a terrorist entity.
يعاقب بالسجن مدة لا تزيد على (خمس وعشرين) سنة ولا تقل عن (خمس عشرة) سنة، كل من أنشأ كياناً إرهابياً أو أداره أو تولى منصباً قياديًّا فيه، فإن كان الفاعل من ضباط
- Article 35
Article 35 punishes with imprisonment of 8 to 25 years anyone who incites joining a terrorist entity, recruits for it or helps finance this, and no less than 15 years if he prevents withdrawal or abuses authority.
يعاقب بالسجن مدة لا تزيد على (خمس وعشرين) سنة ولا تقل عن (ثماني) سنوات، كل من حرض آخر على الانضمام إلى أي كيان إرهابي, أو المشاركة في أنشطته، أو جنّده، أو ساهم
- Article 36
Article 36 punishes with imprisonment of 10 to 20 years anyone who, to commit crimes under the Law, designates a place for training, trains, is trained or finances training on weapons, forgery and combat.
يعاقب بالسجن مدة لا تزيد على (عشرين) سنة ولا تقل عن (عشر) سنوات، كل من قام -لارتكاب أي من الجرائم المنصوص عليها في النظام- بأحد الأفعال الآتية: 1- خصص مكاناً لل
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.