Article 61 of the Saudi Counter-Terrorism Crimes and Financing Law
المادة 61 من نظام مكافحة جرائم الإرهاب وتمويله · الفصل الخامس: المصادرة
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 تلك الأفعال من شأنها أن تؤثر على قدرة السلطات المختصة في استرداد الأموال أو الوسائط أو المتحصلات الخاضعة للمصادرة.
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 61 explained in plain English
This article gives the competent court, which under Article 1 is the Specialized Criminal Court, the power to annul or prevent any procedure or act, whether a contract or a non-contractual act, if it would affect the competent authorities' ability to recover the funds, instrumentalities or proceeds subject to confiscation.
The court may do so on its own initiative or on request.
Condition for applying the article: that the parties to the act, or one of them:
- actually knew that this act would affect the authorities' ability to recover, or
- persons in their position should have known this, even if he claims he did not know.
The aim is to prevent smuggling out funds connected to crimes by selling them, gifting them or transferring their ownership in a sham manner before they are ruled confiscated. Article 1 defines confiscation as the permanent deprivation of funds by judicial ruling.
This article complements Article 60, which bars confiscation if the owner of the funds proves that he obtained them for a fair price, in exchange for a suitable service or on other lawful grounds and was unaware of their unlawful source, and Article 62, which regulates the disposal of funds after they are ruled confiscated.
A person who is a party to a contract that may be affected by this article would do well to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
An accused in a terrorist financing case transferred ownership of a property he owned to a relative days before judgment, and the relative knew of the case. The Specialized Criminal Court may annul this transfer because it obstructs recovering funds subject to confiscation, and the knowledge of one of the parties is established.
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 61 of the Saudi Counter-Terrorism Crimes and Financing Law
Can a contract for the sale of funds connected to a terrorist crime be annulled?
Yes. The competent court may annul or prevent it if its parties or one of them knew, or persons in their position should have known, that it affects the authorities' ability to recover the funds subject to confiscation.
Does the court need a request to annul the act?
No. The article allows it to do so on its own initiative or on request.
What if the buyer did not know the source of the funds?
The article requires knowledge of the parties or one of them, or that persons in their position should have known. Article 60 bars confiscation if the owner proves he obtained the funds for a fair price or on lawful grounds and was 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 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
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.