Article 116 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 116 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل الخامس: إجراءات الجلسة ونظامها
If a witness fails to attend without an accepted excuse, the court may order him to attend in a suitable way that does not harm him; if he is a public employee and the testimony is part of his work, it writes to his authority to compel and hold him accountable.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- إذا تخلف من دعي لأداء الشهادة عن الحضور في الموعد والمكان المحددين بغير عذرٍ تقبله المحكمة، فلها تكليفه بالحضور بالطريقة التي تراها مناسبة وبما لا يضار به.
2 - إذا كان من دعي لأداء الشهادة موظفاً في جهة عامة وكان تحمّله للشهادة جزءاً من عمله، وامتنع عن الحضور للمحكمة لأدائها، فعلى المحكمة الكتابة إلى تلك الجهة لإلزامه بالحضور ومساءلته بحسب الأنظمة.
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 116 explained in plain English
This article of the Regulations deals with a witness failing to attend, and distinguishes two cases:
- A witness in general: if a person called to give testimony fails to attend at the set time and place without an excuse the court accepts, the court may order him to attend in the way it sees fit, provided that this is done in a way that does not harm him.
- A public employee: if the witness is an employee of a public authority, and his taking on the testimony was part of his work, and he refuses to attend to give it, the court must write to his authority to compel him to attend and hold him accountable according to the regulations.
The difference between the two cases is that the second concerns an employee who witnessed the incident by virtue of his work, so his refusal is treated as a job matter handled by his authority. The article does not specify the type of accountability, but refers it to the regulations.
This is linked to Article 115 of the Regulations, which sets how a witness is summoned in the first place.
If you have a pending case and need advice on your specific situation, it is best to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
An employee of a government authority in Jeddah was called to testify in a case about an incident he saw while doing his job, but he refused to attend. The court wrote to his authority to compel him to attend and hold him accountable according to the regulations.
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 116 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
What happens if a witness does not attend court?
If he fails to attend without an excuse the court accepts, the court may order him to attend in the way it sees fit and in a way that does not harm him.
What if the witness is a government employee and refuses to attend?
If the testimony is part of his work, the court writes to his authority to compel him to attend and hold him accountable according to the regulations.
Is the witness's excuse for not attending accepted?
The article says the step is taken if the failure is without an excuse the court accepts, so assessing the excuse is for the court.
More articles on Criminal Trial Procedures
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The article explains that the acts mentioned in Article 20 of the Law are those occurring outside the session, and sets referral to a larger number of judges when needed and hearing them in a separate record.
1- يُقصد بالأفعال المشار إليها في المادة (العشرين) من النظام؛ ما كان خارج الجلسة، وتطبق فيما كان داخلها أحكام الفصل (الثالث) من الباب (السادس) من النظام وأحكام
- Article 91
This article of the Regulations leaves it to the court hearing the case to assess whether judgment in a criminal case depends on the result of another criminal case, and requires it, if it stays the case, to inform the other court.
1- يُرجع في تقدير توقف الحكم في الدعوى الجزائية على نتيجة الفصل في دعوى جزائية أخرى؛ إلى المحكمة التي تنظر الدعوى الجزائية. 2 - إذا قررت المحكمة وقف دعوى منظورة
- Article 92
This article of the Regulations provides that if a court or circuit finds it lacks jurisdiction it refers the case by decision to the competent one, and if the second also finds it lacks jurisdiction the matter goes to the Supreme Court to designate the competent one.
إذا رأت محكمة أو دائرة عدم اختصاصها في دعوى مرفوعة إليها وأنها من اختصاص محكمة أو دائرة أخرى، فتصدر قراراً بذلك، وتحيلها إلى المحكمة أو الدائرة الأخرى ، فإن رأت
- Article 93
This article of the Regulations requires that if a case is brought before two courts or circuits and each decides it has jurisdiction, they stop hearing it and send the papers to the Supreme Court to designate the competent one.
إذا رفعت دعوى إلى محكمتين أو دائرتين وقررت كل منهما اختصاصها؛ فتصدر كل منهما قراراً بذلك، ويجب عليهما إيقاف نظر الدعوى ورفع الأوراق إلى المحكمة العليا عن طريق ا
- Article 94
The article leaves it to the competent judicial circuit to assess the necessity that allows shortening the time to appear, and the length of the extension the accused requests to prepare a defense.
يعود إلى الدائرة القضائية المختصة بنظر الدعوى تقدير الضرورة التي تجيز إنقاص موعد الحضور في الدعوى الجزائية وتقدير مدة المهلة التي يطلب المتهم منحه إياها لإعداد
- Article 95
If the accused's place of residence cannot be found after adequate searching, the bailiff draws up a detailed report, and the bailiffs' department hands a copy of the notice to the emirate, governorate or center responsible for the place of notification.
إذا تعذرت معرفة مكان إقامة المتهم بعد البحث الكافي عنه وبعد الاستعانة بالجهات الأخرى ذات العلاقة - لتبليغه بالحضور أمام المحكمة وفق ما قضت به المادة (السابعة وا
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.