Article 149 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 149 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل الثاني: النقض وإعادة النظر
This article of the Regulations allows any party to request reconsideration of a final judgment imposing a penalty even after it is executed or the penalty lapses, and requires both judgments to be final for a contradiction to arise.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يحق لأيٍّ من الخصوم طلب إعادة النظر في الحكم النهائي الصادر بالعقوبة ولو بعد تنفيذه، أو سقـوط العقوبة بالعفو أو الصلح أو وفاة المحكوم عليه.
2 - يُشترط لتحقق التناقض المذكور في الفقرة (2) من المادة (الرابعة بعد المائتين) من النظام أن يكون الحكمان نـهائيين.
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 149 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law deals with a request for reconsideration of final criminal judgments, and contains two provisions:
- Who requests and when: any of the parties may request reconsideration of the final judgment imposing a penalty, even after:
- It has been executed.
- Or the penalty has lapsed through pardon.
- Or it has lapsed through reconciliation.
- Or it has lapsed through the death of the convicted person.
- The condition of contradiction: for the contradiction mentioned in paragraph 2 of Article 204 of the Law to arise, it is required that both judgments be final.
The practical benefit of the first paragraph is that executing the penalty or its lapse does not close the door to reconsideration; the convicted person or other parties may have an interest in correcting a final judgment even after it has been executed, even after the convicted person's death. This article does not address the grounds for reconsideration or its deadlines, and does not explain the content of paragraph 2 of Article 204 of the Law, but adds to it the condition that both judgments be final.
The article follows Article 148 on the circuit's assessing whether the subject matter is fit for judgment after the second reversal, and precedes Article 150, which requires recording an order to stay execution of the judgment and notifying it immediately to the execution authority. To assess whether a particular case meets the grounds for reconsideration, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
A final prison judgment was executed against Sulaiman in Riyadh, and then he died. One of the parties in the case believed he had grounds to justify reconsidering the judgment. Under this article, he may request reconsideration despite the execution of the judgment and the death of the convicted person, with the request considered according to the grounds for reconsideration in the Law.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentCriminal Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Criminal Law lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Ibrahim Al Salem Law Firm
Active contributor
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Frequently asked questions about Article 149 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
Can reconsideration of a judgment be requested after the penalty is executed?
Yes. Any of the parties may request reconsideration of the final judgment imposing a penalty even after it has been executed.
Does the right to reconsideration lapse on the convicted person's death or pardon?
No. It may be requested even after the penalty lapses through pardon, reconciliation or the death of the convicted person.
When is a contradiction between two judgments a ground under paragraph 2 of Article 204?
For the contradiction mentioned in it to arise, it is required that both judgments be final.
More articles on Objecting to Criminal Judgments
- Article 138
This article of the Regulations provides that a judgment of not hearing the case for a fundamental defect that cannot be corrected is recorded and an objectionable instrument issued, and the corrected case is heard by the same circuit.
1- يدون في ضبط الدعوى الحكمُ الصادر - وفقا للمادة (الحادية والتسعين بعد المائة) من النظام- بعدم سماع الدعوى التي وُجِد فيها عيب جوهري لا يمكن تصحيحه، ويصدر به ص
- Article 139
This article of the Regulations requires recording that the parties were informed of their right to object, its period and the effect of missing it, and gives the public prosecutor and the private-right claimant the right to object to an unfixed discretionary penalty.
1- يدون في ضبط الدعوى إعلام أطراف الدعوى بحقهم في الاعتراض على الحكم، والمدة المحددة لتقديمه، وأن الحكم سيكتسب لصفة القطعية بمضي تلك المدة دون تقديم مذكرة الاعت
- Article 140
This article of the Regulations provides that an objector's withdrawal of his objection neither reduces the objection period nor loses his right to it unless that period passes.
ليس لعدول المعترض على الحكم عن اعتراضه أثر في نقص المدة المحددة لتقديم الاعتراض ولا يسقط حقه فيه ما لم تنقض تلك المدة.
- Article 141
This article of the Regulations explains the effect of not submitting the objection within its period: for a judgment not subject to mandatory review the right to appeal or review is lost and it becomes final, and for one subject to mandatory review the right to submit the memorandum is lost.
1- إذا كان الحكم غير واجب التدقيق، ولم يقدم المعترض اعتراضه خلال المدة المحددة للاعتراض سقط حقه في طلب الاستئناف، أو التدقيق، واكتسب الحكم صفة القطعية، وعلى الد
- Article 142
This article of the Regulations requires the objection to be submitted by a memorandum under paragraph 1 of Article 195 of the Law, lodged with the court that issued the judgment within the period, and allows more than one memorandum on conditions.
1- لا يقبل الاعتراض على الحكم إلا بمذكرة مشتملة على ما نصت عليه الفقرة (1) من المادة (الخامسة والتسعين بعد المائة) من النظام، وللمدعي العام بعثها بكتاب رسمي، وت
- Article 143
This article of the Regulations requires the circuit that issued the challenged judgment to record in the case record that it has seen the objection memorandum.
تدون الدائرة التي أصدرت الحكم المعترض عليه ما يفيد اطلاعها على المذكرة الاعتراضية في ضبط الدعوى.
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.