Article 167 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 167 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الباب الثامن: الأحكام الواجبة التنفيذ وإجراءات تنفيذها وضوابطه
The article governs the penalty of exile (taghrib): its place if the judgment does not set one, no change without the court's permission, how its length is counted, the case of a woman without a mahram, and ensuring the exiled person stays.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- إذا لم ينص الحكم على مكان تغريب المحكوم عليه، فيكون تغريبه في غير البلد الذي يقيم فيه على ألا تقل المسافة بين ذلك البلد والبلد الذي يُغرَّب إليه عن ثمانين كِيلاً.
2 - لا يُستبدل بمكان التغريب المنصوص عليه في الحكم مكان آخر، إلا بإذنٍ من المحكمة التي أصدرت الحكم.
3 - تُحسب مدة التغريب بالتاريخ الهجري، وتبدأ من يوم خروج المغرَّب إلى البلد المغرَّب إليه، فإن عاد قبل نهاية المدة، فيُعاد إلى مكان تغريبه، وتُحسب المدة التي أمضاها سابقاً.
4 - إذا كان المحكوم عليه بالتغريب امرأة، وليس لها محرم يرضى بمرافقتها، أو تعذرت مرافقته لها، فيُدون محضر بذلك، ويُبعث إلى المحكمة التي أصدرت الحكم؛ لتقرر ما تراه، فإن رأت تعديل الحكم، فيخضع التعديل لأحكام الاعتراض المنصوص عليها في النظام واللائحة.
5 - على الجهات المعنية بتنفيذ عقوبة التغريب استخدام جميع الوسائل الضامنة لبقاء المغرّب في مكان التغريب طوال مدة التغريب.
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 167 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law sets the rules for carrying out the penalty of exile (taghrib):
- Place of exile: if the judgment does not state the place of exile, it is in a place other than the town where the convicted person resides, with the distance between the two towns not less than 80 kilometers.
- No change of place: if the judgment specifies the place of exile, no other place is substituted for it except with the permission of the court that issued the judgment.
- Counting the term: the term of exile is counted by the Hijri calendar and begins from the day the exiled person leaves for the town of exile. If he returns before the end of the term, he is returned to his place of exile, and the period he served earlier is counted.
- A woman sentenced to exile: if she has no mahram (male guardian) who agrees to accompany her, or his accompanying her is not possible, a record is made of that and sent to the court that issued the judgment so that it decides what it sees fit. If the court sees fit to amend the judgment, the amendment is subject to the provisions on objection set out in the Law and the Regulations.
- Ensuring he stays: the authorities concerned with carrying out exile must use all means that guarantee that the exiled person stays in the place of exile throughout the term.
The article states no other consequence for someone who returns before the term ends beyond returning him to the place of exile with the time he served counted. Article 168 of the Regulations completes this arrangement by requiring a record to be made after the sentence is carried out, including details such as the number and date of the judgment and the place and time of execution.
Anyone sentenced to exile who needs to request a change of place or a review of his situation is advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
Majed, who lives in Riyadh, was sentenced to one year of exile, and the judgment did not specify a place. He is exiled to another town at least 80 kilometers from Riyadh, and the term begins from the day he leaves for it and is counted by the Hijri calendar. If he returns to Riyadh before the year ends, he is returned to his place of exile and the time he served is counted for 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 167 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
What is the distance of exile if the judgment does not set it?
Exile is in a place other than the town where the convicted person resides, with the distance between the two towns not less than 80 kilometers.
Can the place of exile set in the judgment be changed?
No other place is substituted for it except with the permission of the court that issued the judgment.
What if the exiled person returns before the term ends?
He is returned to his place of exile, and the period he served earlier is counted.
What if a woman sentenced to exile has no mahram?
A record is made of that and sent to the court that issued the judgment so that it decides what it sees fit; if it amends the judgment, the amendment is subject to the provisions on objection.
More articles on Executing Criminal Judgments
- Article 149
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.
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
- Article 150
This article of the Regulations requires an order to stay execution of a judgment issued under Article 206 of the Law to be recorded in the case record and notified immediately to the execution authority by official letter.
إذا صدر أمر إيقاف تنفيذ الحكم - وفقا للمادة (السادسة بعد المائتين) من النظام - فيدون في ضبط الدعوى، ويبلغ فوراً إلى جهة التنفيذ بكتاب رسمي.
- Article 151
If part of a criminal judgment becomes final but another part does not, a certified copy is sent to the execution authority to execute only the final part.
إذا صدر الحكم في دعوى اشتملت على حقٍّ عامٍّ وحقٍّ خاصٍّ واكتسب الحكم الصفة القطعية في أحدهما دون الآخر، أو صدر الحكم في دعوى واكتسب صفة القطعية في بعضه دون بعض،
- Article 152
The article requires the court to notify the detention administration in writing of the substance of its judgment in the cases provided for in Article 213 of the Law, so the detained accused is released at once.
تُبلِّغ المحكمةُ كتابةً إدارةَ التوقيف بمضمون الحكم الذي أصدرته في الحالات المنصوص عليها في المادة (الثالثة عشرة بعد المائتين) من النظام للإفراج عن المتهم الموق
- Article 153
The article explains when a new prison sentence starts if the stay of an earlier sentence is cancelled, to whom the cancellation request is made, and that part of a discretionary prison sentence may be stayed.
1- إذا نُص في الحكم على وقف تنفيذ عقوبة السجن التعزيرية في الحق العام، وارتكب المحكوم عليه جريمة خلال المدة المشار إليها في الفقرة (2) من المادة (الرابعة عشرة ب
- Article 154
Orders to carry out criminal sentences are issued by the administrative governor, except for sentences whose execution requires an order from the King or his delegate.
فيما عدا الأحكام الجزائية التي يكون تنفيذها بعد صدور أمر من الملك أو ممن ينيبه، يصدر أمر تنفيذ الأحكام الجزائية من الحاكم الإداري.
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.