Article 124 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 124 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل الخامس: إجراءات الجلسة ونظامها
This article of the Regulations provides that a private-right claimant not claiming his right, or being absent after claiming it, does not prevent the court from hearing the case and deciding the public prosecutor's requests.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا لم يطالب المدعي بالحق الخاص بحقه أمام المحكمة التي تنظر الدعوى الجزائية، أو طالب به ثم تغيب؛ فلا يحول ذلك دون استمرار المحكمة في نظر القضية والفصل في طلبات المدعي العام.
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 124 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law deals with the relationship between the private right claimed by the person harmed by the crime and the public right claimed by the public prosecutor, when the holder of the private right is absent or does not claim it.
The article covers two situations:
- The private-right claimant does not claim his right before the court hearing the criminal case.
- He claims it and then is absent.
In both situations this does not prevent the court from continuing to hear the case and decide the public prosecutor's requests. The public case does not depend on the attendance or claim of the holder of the private right.
Note that the article speaks of the court's continuing to hear the case and the public prosecutor's requests, and does not state the effect of absence or not claiming on the private right itself, so it cannot be concluded from it that the holder of the private right loses his right. If you are in this position and want to know what follows from not claiming or being absent, it is best to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
The article follows Article 123, which allows the parties to submit what they want added to the case file, dated and signed, and precedes Article 125, which deals with challenging for forgery.
Practical example
Saad was assaulted in Makkah, and the public prosecutor brought a public case against the accused. Saad claimed his private right at the first hearing, then was absent from later hearings because he was traveling. Under this article, the court continued hearing the case and deciding the public prosecutor's requests despite his absence.
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 124 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
Does the criminal case stop if the victim is absent?
No. If the private-right claimant does not claim his right, or claims it and then is absent, this does not prevent the court from continuing to hear the case and decide the public prosecutor's requests.
Does my private right lapse if I do not attend the hearings?
The article does not speak of the private right lapsing; it only provides that the court continues to hear the case and the public prosecutor's requests. To learn the effect on your situation, consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
More articles on Private Claim and Compensation
- Article 3
The article explains that the case meant in Article 16 of the Law is the private criminal case, and governs how the defendant and the public prosecutor are notified in it.
1- الدعوى الجزائية المشار إليها في المادة (السادسة عشرة) من النظام هي الدعوى الجزائية الخاصة التي تشتمل على حق خاص وحق عام. 2 - لا يبلغ المدعى عليه في الدعوى ال
- Article 5
The article explains that the victim and heir meant in Article 18 of the Law are those with limited or no legal capacity, and requires recording what the court does when their interest conflicts with their representative's.
1- يُقصـد بالمجني عليه ووارثه المشار إليهما في المـادة (الثامنة عشرة) من النظام؛ من كان ناقص الأهليـة أو فاقدهـا. 2 - يُدون في ضبط الدعوى ما تجريه المحكمة التي
- Article 11
The article provides that the pardon of some victims or heirs does not prevent the others' case from continuing, and requires observing Article 29 of the Law and Article 17 of the Regulations when the pardon is ratified.
1 - إذا كان هناك أكثر من مجني عليه في الدعوى الجزائية الخاصة أو كان له أكثر من وارث؛ فلا يمنع عفو البعض من استمرار دعوى الباقين. 2 - يُراعى عند تصديق عفو المجني
- Article 17
The article explains the effect of the private-right claimant waiving his right on bringing the public case, and regulates ratifying and recording the waiver of qisas and the slander hadd penalty.
1 - إذا نزل المدعي بالحق الخاص عن حقه فلا يجوز رفع الدعوى الجزائية العامة، إلا بمقتضى ما نصت عليه المادة (السابعة عشرة) من النظام والمادة (الرابعة) من اللائحة.
- Article 41
The article gives a person harmed by the disclosure, without legal justification, of information about seized items and papers by anyone referred to in Article 61 of the Law the right to sue before the competent court.
للمتضرر من قيام أيٍّ من المشار إليهم في المادة (الحادية والستين) من النظام بإفشاء معلومات عن الأشياء والأوراق المضبوطة دون مسوغ نظامي؛ حق إقامة الدعوى على المتس
- Article 47
The article regulates adding the private claimant's claim to the case file, attendance at investigation procedures and barring it when necessary, multiple lawyers, and the duty not to disclose investigation secrets.
1- إذا قبل المحقق ادعاء المدعي بالحق الخاص استناداً إلى الفقرة (1) من المادة (التاسعة والستين) من النظام؛ فيلحقه بملف الدعوى، ويشير إليه في لائحة الدعوى. 2 - يك
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.