Article 58 of the Saudi Counter-Terrorism Crimes and Financing Law
المادة 58 من نظام مكافحة جرائم الإرهاب وتمويله · الفصل الخامس: المصادرة
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 اكتسبت من مصادر مشروعة فيصادر منها ما يعادل القيمة المقدرة لها.
2- الوسائط.
3- الأموال المرتبطة بأي من الجرائم المنصوص عليها في النظام أو التي أعدت لاستخدامها فيها.
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 58 explained in plain English
This article deals with confiscation in terrorism and terrorist financing crimes, which under Article 1 is the permanent deprivation of funds, proceeds of crime or instrumentalities pursuant to a judicial ruling issued by a competent court.
What is confiscated?
- Proceeds: funds arising or obtained directly or indirectly from committing crimes under the Law, including what was converted or exchanged into similar funds. If they are mixed with funds acquired from lawful sources, what equals the estimated value of the proceeds is confiscated from them.
- Instrumentalities: anything prepared, intended or meant to be used, or actually used, in committing crimes under the Law.
- Funds connected to any of the crimes under the Law or prepared for use in them.
Rules of confiscation:
- It is by judicial ruling.
- It takes place regardless of whether the funds are in the possession or ownership of the offender or of another party.
- It is without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties.
This article falls within Chapter Five on confiscation, and it is followed by Article 59, which deals with the case where it is not possible to confiscate these funds or their location cannot be determined, and allows confiscating other funds of equal value by judicial ruling.
A person whose funds face confiscation, or who believes he has a good-faith right in them, is advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
It was established that a person used a car and a warehouse in Dammam to store materials for a terrorist crime, and deposited funds he had collected for a terrorist entity into his bank account along with his monthly salary. By judicial ruling the car and the warehouse may be confiscated as instrumentalities, and an amount equal to the value of the funds collected may be confiscated from the mixed account, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties.
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 58 of the Saudi Counter-Terrorism Crimes and Financing Law
What funds are confiscated in terrorism cases?
The proceeds, the instrumentalities, and the funds connected to any of the Law's crimes or prepared for use in them are confiscated by judicial ruling.
What happens if the funds of the crime are mixed with lawful funds?
An amount equal to the estimated value of the proceeds is confiscated from the mixed funds.
Are funds confiscated if they are held by someone other than the offender?
Yes. Confiscation takes place regardless of whether they are in the possession or ownership of the offender or another party, 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 22
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.
دون الإخلال بحقوق الغير الحسن النية، تتولى النيابة العامة صلاحية تحديد الأموال والوسائط والمتحصلات التي قد تخضع للمصادرة وتعقّبها.
- 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 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.