Article 174 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 174 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الباب التاسع: أحكام عامة وختامية
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was 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 على أوراق مرفوعة إلى المحكمة، أو نسخ شيء منها، فللجهة أن تبعث من يتولى ذلك بعد إذن المحكمة، وتحت إشرافها.
3 - إذا صدر عفو عام أثناء نظر المحكمة لدعوى مشمولة بهذا العفو فعليها اتخاذ الإجراءات اللازمة وفقاً للأحكام المنظمة لذلك.
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 174 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law contains three separate provisions:
1. A case received by a court by mistake
If a case reaches a court by mistake, what is provided in Article 5 of the Law does not prevent referring it to the court or body concerned. The article does not reproduce the text of Article 5 of the Law, so it should be consulted for its content.
2. Competent bodies' access to the case papers
If a competent body asks to see papers submitted to the court, or to copy some of them, it may send someone to do so, subject to two conditions:
- After the court's permission.
- Under its supervision.
This provision is limited to the competent body and does not address individuals' access to the papers.
3. A general pardon issued while a case is being heard
If a general pardon is issued while the court is hearing a case covered by it, the court must take the necessary steps in accordance with the provisions governing that. The article does not set out those steps; it refers to the provisions governing pardon.
This article comes in Part Nine of the Regulations on general and final provisions, which includes Article 173, interpreting the phrase "serious crimes" in the Law, and Article 175, which requires notifying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when a non-Saudi is detained on suspicion of a serious crime.
Anyone whose case has been referred, or who believes it is covered by a pardon, is advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
A criminal case was filed by mistake with a court that is not the one concerned with it. Under this article the court refers the case to the court or body concerned, and what is provided in Article 5 of the Law does not prevent that.
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 174 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
What happens if a case is filed with a court by mistake?
It is referred to the court or body concerned, and what is provided in Article 5 of the Law does not prevent that.
May a government body see the papers of a case at the court?
The competent body may send someone to see the papers or copy some of them after the court's permission and under its supervision.
What does the court do if a general pardon is issued while a case is being heard?
It must take the necessary steps in accordance with the provisions governing that, if the case is covered by the pardon.
More articles on Case Closure and Criminal Jurisdiction
- Article 10
The article states what is issued when the public case lapses before being brought, either filing the papers or filing the case, and that lapse does not prevent investigation, confiscation or proceeding against the other accused.
1- إذا انقضت الدعوى الجزائية العامة قبل رفعها إلى المحكمة فيصدر رئيس دائرة التحقيق أمراً بحفظ الأوراق وفق ما نصت عليه المادة (الثالثة والستون) من النظام والمادة
- Article 42
The article requires an order to archive papers to be written and reasoned, and makes archiving before any investigation procedure an administrative act that the Bureau may reverse at any time.
1- يجب أن يكون الأمر بحفظ الأوراق - المنصوص عليه في المادة (الثالثة والستين) من النظام - مكتوباً ومسبباً. 2 - يكون حفظ الأوراق قبل اتخاذ أي إجراء من إجراءات الت
- Article 43
The article requires the investigator to notify the victim and the private claimant, or their heirs, of the order to archive papers in writing, with the person notified signing to acknowledge it in a special register.
يُبلغ المحققُ المجني عليه والمدعي بالحق الخاص، أو ورثتهما - بحسب الأحوال - بأمر حفظ الأوراق؛ كتابةً، ويوقع المبلَّغ بالعلم به في سجل خاص لذلك.
- Article 63
This article of the Regulations specifies the competent court referred to in Article 90 of the Law, and what it does where seized items are disputed or it is doubtful who is entitled to receive them.
1- المحكمة المختصة الوارد ذكرها في المادة (التسعين) من النظام هي المحكمة المختصة المنصوص عليها في المادة (الثامنة والثمانين) من النظام. 2- إذا رفع الأمر إلى الم
- Article 65
This article of the Regulations makes the court of the place of investigation the competent court, and requires it to refer litigants to the locally competent court if it decides to refer them to litigate and lacks local jurisdiction.
1- المحكمة التي يقع في دائرتها مكان التحقيق - الوارد ذكرها في المادة (الثالثة والتسعين) من النظام - هي المحكمة المختصة المنصوص عليها في المادة (الثامنة والثماني
- Article 87
This article of the Regulations requires an investigation procedure to precede archiving of a case, and regulates notifying the heirs of the private claimant of the archiving order.
1- يشترط لحفظ الدعوى - وفق المادة (الرابعة والعشرين بعد المائة) من النظام - أن يسبقه إجراء من إجراءات التحقيق. 2 - يحصل تبليغ جميع ورثة المدعي بالحق الخاص بأمر
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.