Article 175 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 175 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الباب التاسع: أحكام عامة وختامية
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا أوقف شخص غير سعودي لاتهامه بارتكاب جريمة من الجرائم الكبيرة؛ فتبلغ وزارة الخارجية للنظر في إحاطة ممثلية بلاده.
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 175 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law addresses the situation of a non-Saudi who is detained on a criminal accusation.
Conditions for the article to apply:
- The detainee is a non-Saudi.
- He is detained.
- His detention is on suspicion of committing a serious crime.
The step: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is notified, so that it can consider informing his country's representation. The notice goes to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the text makes informing the representation of the detainee's country a matter for the Ministry to consider.
The article does not specify which body notifies the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or the period within which notice is given.
By Article 1 of the Regulations and Article 173, serious crimes means crimes requiring detention under Article 112 of the Criminal Procedure Law. This article does not list those crimes.
The article comes in Part Nine of the Regulations on general and final provisions, which includes Article 176, requiring that the laws, rules, customs, and international agreements be observed in searching the premises of foreign embassies and international bodies and organizations that enjoy immunity, and Article 174, which governs referring a case received by a court by mistake.
Anyone with a non-Saudi relative or colleague who has been detained is advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
A foreign resident who works for a company in Dammam was detained on suspicion of a serious crime. Under this article the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is notified of his detention, so that it can consider informing his country's representation.
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 175 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
Is a foreigner's embassy informed if he is detained in Saudi Arabia?
The article provides for notifying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that it can consider informing his country's representation, where the detention is on suspicion of a serious crime.
Does the article apply to every detention of a foreigner?
No. Its text is limited to the detention of a non-Saudi on suspicion of committing a serious crime.
What is meant by serious crimes?
Crimes requiring detention under Article 112 of the Criminal Procedure Law, under Article 1 and Article 173 of the Regulations.
More articles on Rights of the Accused and Detainee
- Article 20
The article fixes the start of the twenty-four-hour period in Article 34 of the Law: from the time of arrest for the criminal investigation officer, and from the time the accused reaches him for the investigator.
تبدأ مهلة الأربع والعشرين ساعة المشار إليها في المادة (الرابعة والثلاثين) من النظام بالنسبة لرجل الضبط الجنائي من وقت القبض على المتهم، وتبدأ المهلة بالنسبة للم
- Article 22
The article requires informing the accused on arrest or detention of its reasons, his right to a representative or lawyer, and his right to contact whomever he wishes to notify, and obtaining his signature.
يجب أن يعرّف المتهم عند القبض عليه أو توقيفه بما يأتي: أ) أسباب القبض عليه أو توقيفه. ب) حقه في الاستعانة بوكيل أو محام في مرحلتي التحقيق والمحاكمة. ج) حقه في ا
- Article 23
The article explains that enabling a detainee to contact whomever he wishes to notify is by the method the officer or investigator assesses, and that notifying the detained employee's superior is done by whoever ordered his continued detention.
1- يُمكّن الموقوف من الاتصال بمن يرى إبلاغه بالطريقة التي يقدرها رجل الضبط الجنائي أو المحقق بحسب حالة كل قضية وملابساتها. 2 - يكون إبلاغ مرجع الموظف الموقوف -
- Article 25
The article regulates the Authority's oversight of prisons and detention places, what to do on finding someone held unlawfully, receipt of complaints, the daily report, and the contents of the registers.
1 - إذا تبين لعضو الهيئة المختص بزيارة السجون وأماكن التوقيف وجود مسجون أو موقوف بصفة غير مشروعة، فعليه الرفع عن ذلك لرئيس دائرة التحقيق التي يتبعها لاتخاذ اللا
- Article 26
The article requires the prison or detention director to draw up a record of an oral complaint and report it to the Authority's member, and requires visiting members to check the complaints register and sign it.
1- إذا قدم المسجون أو الموقوف شكوى شفهية إلى مدير السجن أو التوقيف؛ فيعد المدير محضراً بذلك موقعاً من المشتكي يتضمن ما ذكره من تظلم وأسبابه، ويلحق بالشكوى ملخص
- Article 27
The article allows reporting orally or in writing a person held unlawfully or in an undesignated place even if the reporter has no interest, and requires the Authority to send a member at once.
1- يُقبل الإبلاغ عن وجود مسجون أو موقوف بصفة غير مشروعة أو في مكان غير مخصص للسجن أو التوقيف بحسب ما نصت عليه المادة (الأربعون) من النظام؛ مشافهةً أو كتابة، ولو
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.