Article 57 of the Saudi Counter-Terrorism Crimes and Financing Law
المادة 57 من نظام مكافحة جرائم الإرهاب وتمويله · الفصل الرابع: العقوبات
Article 57 allows the court to suspend execution of up to half of the prison sentence if the convicted person has no prior conviction under the Law and shows remorse, and the suspension is cancelled if he reoffends.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
للمحكمة المختصة - لأسباب معتبرة تبعث على الاعتقاد بأن المحكوم عليه لن يعود لارتكاب أي من الجرائم المنصوص عليها في النظام - وقف تنفيذ عقوية السجن بما لا يزيد على نصف المدة المحكوم بها وذلك بشرط توفر ما يلي:
1- ألا يكون قد صدر في حقه حكم سابق في إحدى الجرائم المنصوص عليها في النظام.
2- أن يبدي ندمه على جريمته.
وإذا عاد المحكوم عليه إلى ارتكاب أي من الجرائم المنصوص عليها في أحكام النظام يلغى وقف التنفيذ دون الإخلال بالعقوبة المقررة على الجريمة الجديدة.
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 57 explained in plain English
This article allows the competent court, which under Article 1 is the Specialized Criminal Court, to suspend execution of part of the imprisonment sentence, by no more than half of the term imposed.
When is this allowed? There must be valid reasons that give grounds to believe that the convicted person will not return to committing any of the crimes under the Law, and the following two conditions must be met:
- No prior judgment has been issued against him in one of the crimes set out in the Law.
- He shows remorse for his crime.
Cancelling the suspension: if the convicted person returns to committing any of the crimes under the Law, the suspension is cancelled, without prejudice to the penalty prescribed for the new crime.
Note that suspension is discretionary for the court, and that it does not exceed half the prison term, so it does not cover the whole sentence. For example, for someone sentenced to 6 years' imprisonment, execution of at most 3 years of it may be suspended.
The article follows Article 56, which allows mitigating the penalty for someone who took the initiative to report to the competent authorities information that could not have been obtained by another route, and precedes Article 58, which provides for confiscating the proceeds, instrumentalities and funds connected to the Law's crimes by judicial ruling.
To assess whether suspension can be requested in a particular case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
A young man was sentenced to 6 years' imprisonment in a crime under the Law, has no prior conviction in any of the Law's crimes, and showed remorse before the court. If the court sees valid reasons to believe he will not return, it may suspend execution of no more than 3 years. If he later returns to committing a crime under the Law, the suspension is cancelled and he is also punished for the new crime.
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 57 of the Saudi Counter-Terrorism Crimes and Financing Law
Can a prison sentence be suspended in terrorism cases?
Yes. The competent court may suspend execution of the prison sentence by no more than half of the term imposed if the conditions are met.
What are the conditions for suspending a sentence under the counter-terrorism law?
Valid reasons giving grounds to believe that the convicted person will not return, no prior judgment against him in one of the Law's crimes, and his showing remorse for his crime.
What happens if the convicted person reoffends?
The suspension is cancelled, without prejudice to the penalty prescribed for the new crime.
More articles on Aggravating and Mitigating Penalties
- Article 11
Article 11 allows the Public Prosecution to suspend proceedings against a person who voluntarily reported a crime under the Law and cooperated with the competent authorities, without prejudice to the private claimant's right.
مع عدم الإخلال بحق المدعي بالحق الخاص، للنيابة العامة إيقاف إجراءات الدعوى بحق من بادر بالإبلاغ عن جريمة من الجرائم المنصوص عليها في النظام -قبل ارتكابها أو بعد
- Article 40
Article 40 punishes with imprisonment of 10 to 30 years anyone who kidnaps, detains or confines a person, or threatens to, in carrying out a terrorist or terrorist financing crime, and the court may sentence to death where a weapon is used.
يعاقب بالسجن مدة لا تزيد على (ثلاثين) سنة ولا تقل عن (عشر) سنوات, كل من خطف شخصاً أو احتجزه أو حبسه أو هدد بأي من تلك الأفعال تنفيذاً لجريمة إرهابية أو جريمة تم
- Article 41
Article 41 punishes with imprisonment of 10 to 30 years anyone who hijacks a means of public transport, or threatens to, in carrying out a terrorist or terrorist financing crime, and with death if the act is accompanied by use or brandishing of weapons.
يعاقب بالسجن مدة لا تزيد على (ثلاثين) سنة ولا تقل عن (عشر) سنوات، كـل مـن اختطـف أي وسيلة من وسائل النقل العام أو هدد بأي من تلك الأفعال؛ تنفيذاً لجريمة إرهابية
- Article 50
Article 50 prescribes death where a crime under the Law results in the death of one or more persons, and sets the imprisonment term at no less than half its maximum in cases of weapons, non-profit organizations, repeat offending or exploiting minors.
1- يعاقب بالقتل كل من ارتكب أيًّا من الجرائم المنصوص عليها في النظام نتج عنها وفاة شخص أو أكثر. 2- لا تقل عقوبة السجن المقرر لكل من ارتكب أيًّا من الجرائم المنص
- Article 51
Article 51 punishes attempt at crimes under the Law with the penalty prescribed for the act, and treats as an accomplice, with the same penalty, anyone who contributes by agreement, incitement or assistance, conceals evidence or helps a wanted person escape.
1- يُعاقب كل من شرع في القيام بارتكاب أي من الجرائم المنصوص عليها في النظام بالعقوبة المقررة لذلك الفعل. 2- يعد شريكاً في أي من الجرائم المنصوص عليها في النظام
- Article 52
Article 52 provides that the discretionary (ta'zir) penalties in the Law do not affect any more severe penalty based on the provisions of Islamic Sharia or other laws.
لا تخل العقوبات التعزيرية الواردة في النظام؛ بأي عقوبة أشد تستند إلى أحكام الشريعة الإسلامية أو الأنظمة الأخرى.
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.