Article 60 of the Saudi Counter-Terrorism Crimes and Financing Law
المادة 60 من نظام مكافحة جرائم الإرهاب وتمويله · الفصل الخامس: المصادرة
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 مشروعة أخرى وأنّه كان يجهل مصدرها غير المشروع.
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 60 explained in plain English
This article protects a person who obtained funds lawfully and in good faith, even if their source turns out to be connected to a crime under the Law. Funds, instrumentalities or proceeds may not be confiscated where their owner proves two things together:
- That the reason he obtained them was lawful, in that he obtained them:
- in exchange for a fair price, or
- in exchange for providing a service commensurate with their value, or
- on other lawful grounds.
- That he was unaware of their unlawful source.
Note that the burden of proof falls on the owner of the funds, as the text says "where their owner proves". The two conditions also go together: paying a fair price is not enough if the person knows of the unlawful source, and being unaware of the source is not enough if he did not obtain them for a lawful reason.
This article follows Article 59, which allows confiscating other funds equal in value if the funds, instrumentalities or proceeds cannot be confiscated or their location cannot be determined. It is followed by Article 61, which allows the competent court, on its own initiative or on request, to annul or prevent any procedure or act, contractual or non-contractual, if its parties or one of them knew, or persons in their position should have known, that it would affect the authorities' ability to recover the funds, instrumentalities or proceeds subject to confiscation.
A person who believes this article applies to funds he owns is advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
A man bought a used car from a showroom in Riyadh at the usual market price, and it later turned out that the original seller had obtained it from the proceeds of a terrorist financing crime. If the buyer proves that he paid a fair price and that he was unaware of its unlawful source, the car may not be confiscated from him.
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 60 of the Saudi Counter-Terrorism Crimes and Financing Law
When may funds not be confiscated in terrorism cases?
If their owner proves that he obtained them for a fair price, in exchange for a service commensurate with their value, or on other lawful grounds, and that he was unaware of their unlawful source.
Who bears the burden of proving good faith?
The owner of the funds, as the text requires him to prove the reason he obtained them and his lack of knowledge of their unlawful source.
Is paying a fair price enough to prevent confiscation?
No. The text also requires that the owner be unaware of their unlawful source.
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 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 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.