Article 42 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 42 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل الأول: تصرفات المحقق
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 التحقيق. ويعد إجراءً إداريًّا، وللهيئة أن ترجع عنه في أي وقت.
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 42 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law regulates the order to archive papers provided for in Article 63 of the Law.
1- Form of the order: The archiving order must be:
- written; an oral decision is not enough.
- reasoned; that is, the reasons for archiving are stated in it.
2- Timing and nature of archiving:
- Papers are archived before any investigation procedure is taken.
- It is considered an administrative act.
- The Bureau (the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution) may reverse it at any time.
What does this mean for the person who reported or the victim? Archiving papers in the sense used here does not mean the matter is finally closed, because the text allows the Bureau to reverse it at any time. Archiving remains tied to the stage before investigation.
Relationship to neighboring articles: It is followed by Article 43 of the Regulations, which 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.
If you are a party to a case and want to know how this provision affects your situation, you can consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
Fahd filed a report in Dammam, and the Bureau decided to archive the papers before taking any investigation procedure, by a written order stating its reasons. After some time new information emerged, and under this article the Bureau may reverse the archiving, because it is an administrative act that may be reversed at any time.
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 42 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
Must an order to archive papers be in writing?
Yes, it must be written and reasoned.
Can archiving of papers be reversed?
Yes, archiving papers is an administrative act, and the Bureau may reverse it at any time.
When are papers archived?
Before any investigation procedure is taken.
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 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
- Article 88
This article of the Regulations requires the public prosecutor to include in the statement of the case what was done about seized items and his requests regarding them, and regulates supplementary investigation after the case is filed.
1- إذا كان في القضية مضبوطات تتعلق بموضوع الدعوى، فعلى المدعي العام - عند الاقتضاء - أن يضمن لائحة الدعوى - المعدة استناداً إلى المادة (السادسة والعشرين بعد الم
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.