Article 173 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 173 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الباب التاسع: أحكام عامة وختامية
The phrase "serious crimes", wherever it appears in the Criminal Procedure Law, means the "serious crimes requiring detention" referred to in Article 112 of the Law.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يقصد بعبارة "الجرائم الكبيرة" أينما وردت في النظام؛ "الجرائم الكبيرة الموجبة للتوقيف" الواردة في المادة (الثانية عشرة بعد المائة) من النظام .
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 173 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law is interpretive. It defines a term that recurs in the Law: "serious crimes".
Content of the article: the phrase "serious crimes", wherever it appears in the Law, means the "serious crimes requiring detention" referred to in Article 112 of the Criminal Procedure Law.
This interpretation matters because a number of procedural provisions are tied to the phrase "serious crimes", so it has one meaning in all its places in the Law, and its reference point is Article 112 of the Law.
This is consistent with the definition in Article 1 of the Regulations, which defined "serious crimes" for the purposes of the Regulations as crimes requiring detention under Article 112 of the Law. Article 1 fixes the meaning wherever the term appears in the Regulations, and this article fixes it wherever it appears in the Law.
This article does not list the serious crimes or say how they are determined; it refers to Article 112 of the Law for that. An example of the term's use in the Regulations is Article 175, which provides for notifying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when a non-Saudi is detained on suspicion of committing a serious crime, so that it can consider informing his country's representation. Article 172, which interprets the orders referred to in Article 14 of the Law, also sits alongside it.
Anyone, or a relative of anyone, who has been accused and wants to know whether it is a serious crime is advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
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 173 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
What is meant by serious crimes in the Criminal Procedure Law?
They are the "serious crimes requiring detention" referred to in Article 112 of the Law, wherever the phrase appears in the Law.
Where can I find the list of serious crimes?
This article refers to Article 112 of the Criminal Procedure Law and does not list the crimes itself.
Does the meaning of serious crimes differ between the Law and the Regulations?
No. Article 1 of the Regulations and this article both tie the term to crimes requiring detention under Article 112 of the Law.
More articles on Definitions and General Provisions
- Article 1
This article of the Regulations defines the terms used in them, such as the Law, the Regulations, the Council, the Ministry, the Authority and serious crimes.
يقصد بالمصطلحات والعبارات الآتية - أينما وردت في هذه اللائحة - المعاني المبينة أمامها، ما لم يقتض السياق خلاف ذلك : النظام : نظام الإجراءات الجزائية. اللائحة :
- Article 172
The article explains that the orders referred to in Article 14 of the Criminal Procedure Law are orders issued by judicial bodies under their various names and by the Authority.
الأوامر الواردة في المادة (الرابعة عشرة) من النظام هي الأوامر الصادرة من الجهات القضائية بأسمائها المختلفة ومن الهيئة.
- Article 174
The article allows a case received by mistake to be referred to the proper court or body, governs competent bodies' access to court papers, and requires the court to take the necessary steps when a general pardon is issued.
1- إذا وردت قضية إلى محكمة عن طريق الخطأ فلا يحول ما ورد في المادة (الخامسة) من النظام دون إحالتها إلى المحكمة أو الجهة المعنية. 2 - إذا طلبت جهة مختصة الاطلاع
- Article 175
If a non-Saudi is detained on suspicion of a serious crime, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is notified so it can consider informing his country's representation.
إذا أوقف شخص غير سعودي لاتهامه بارتكاب جريمة من الجرائم الكبيرة؛ فتبلغ وزارة الخارجية للنظر في إحاطة ممثلية بلاده.
- Article 176
In searching the premises of foreign embassies and international bodies and organizations with immunity, the relevant laws and rules, international customs, and international agreements must be observed.
يُراعى في تفتيش دور السفارات الأجنبيـة والهيئات والمنظمات الدولية ذات الحصانة القنصلية والدبلوماسية ما تقضي به الأنظمة والقواعد الصادرة في هذا الشأن، والأعراف و
- Article 178
Notification is valid when the person is notified through his address approved by the competent authority or its legal equivalent, unless there is a specific provision.
يكون إجراء التبليغ صحيحاً متى بُلغ الشخص المطلوب عن طريق عنوانه المعتمد من الجهة المختصة أو ما يقوم مقامه نظاماً، وذلك فيما لم يرد به نص خاص.
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.