Article 44 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 44 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل الأول: تصرفات المحقق
The article sets the conditions for the validity of the delegation in Article 66 of the Law, and explains when the delegated officer must be named and when identifying his job function is enough.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يشترط لصحة الندب - الوارد في المادة (السادسة والستين) من النظام - أن يصدر صريحاً ممن يملكه، وأن يكون مثبتاً بالكتابة، ويبين فيه اسم من أصدره، ووظيفته وتوقيعه، وتاريخ الندب، وبيان اسم المتهم أو المتهمين المعنيين بالإذن، وألا يمتد إلى التحقيق في القضية برمتها.
2 - إذا كان الندب المشار إليه في الفقرة السابقة لرجل ضبط جنائي، فلا يشترط أن يُسمى فيه رجل الضبط المندوب، ويكفي التحديد بالاختصاص الوظيفي، وفي هذه الحال يمكن أن يباشر الإجراء أي رجل ضبط جنائي ممن يباشرون هذه الوظيفة، وإذا سُمِّي رجل الضبط فلا يجوز أن يباشره غيره، إلا إذا كان أمر الندب قد أجاز له صراحة أن يندب غيره في مباشرة الإجراء المكلف به.
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 44 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law sets the rules under which the delegation referred to in Article 66 of the Law is valid, meaning the assignment of another person to carry out an investigation procedure.
First: conditions for a valid delegation
- It must be issued expressly by someone who has the authority to do so.
- It must be in writing.
- It must state the name, position and signature of the person who issued it.
- The date of the delegation.
- The name of the accused person or persons covered by the permission.
- It must not extend to investigating the whole case.
Second: delegating a criminal investigation officer
- The delegated officer need not be named; it is enough to identify him by job function, and in that case any criminal investigation officer who performs that function may carry out the procedure.
- If the officer is named in the delegation, no one else may carry it out, unless the delegation order expressly permits him to delegate someone else.
Practical effect: These are the conditions the article sets for a valid delegation, so they are a point to examine when checking whether procedures were sound. It is followed by Article 45 of the Regulations, which makes the delegate's assessment of the fear of running out of time subject to the Bureau's oversight.
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
An investigator in Jeddah issued a written delegation naming a specific criminal investigation officer to search a particular site, without permitting him to delegate anyone else. Under this article, no other colleague may carry out the procedure in his place.
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 44 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
May a delegation be oral?
No, for a delegation to be valid it must be in writing and express, from someone who has the authority to issue it.
Can an officer be delegated to investigate the whole case?
No, the delegation must not extend to investigating the whole case.
Must the delegated officer be named?
No, identifying him by job function is enough, but if he is named, no one else may carry out the procedure unless the order expressly permits it.
More articles on Investigation and Inspection Procedures
- Article 8
The article explains the in-law relationship and the enmity that bar a member of the Authority from handling a case, and lets any opponent request disqualification of the investigator before or during the investigation.
1- لا يشترط لقيام صلة المصاهرة المنصوص عليها في الفقرة (1) من المادة (الحادية والعشرين) من النظام؛ أن تكون رابطة الزوجية قائمة. 2 - العداوة التي تمنع عضو الهيئة
- Article 16
The article sets the contents of the officer's record on going to the scene of the crime, requires him to show his identity, and regulates acting outside his jurisdiction, informing the Authority and continuing inquiries.
1 - يقوم رجـل الضبط الجنائي - عند الانتقال إلى مكان وقوع الجريمة بحسب المادة (السابعة والعشرين) من النظام - بتحرير محضر يشتمل على ما يأتي: أ) تاريخ اتخاذ الإجرا
- Article 45
The article makes the delegate responsible for assessing the fear of running out of time referred to in Article 67 of the Law, subject to the Bureau's oversight.
يكون تقدير خشية فوات الوقت المشار إليه في المادة (السابعة والستين) من النظام للمندوب، ويخضع هذا التقدير لرقابة الهيئة.
- Article 46
The article directs inquiries from government bodies to the Bureau or the body handling the case, without anything that may affect the investigation, and provides that the Bureau informing them is not a disclosure of secrets.
1- توجه استفسارات الجهات الحكومية ذات العلاقة إلى الهيئة، أو إلى الجهة التي لديها القضية، على ألا يشتمل الاستفسار أو الإجابة على ما قد يؤثر في سير التحقيق أو إج
- Article 47
The article regulates adding the private claimant's claim to the case file, attendance at investigation procedures and barring it when necessary, multiple lawyers, and the duty not to disclose investigation secrets.
1- إذا قبل المحقق ادعاء المدعي بالحق الخاص استناداً إلى الفقرة (1) من المادة (التاسعة والستين) من النظام؛ فيلحقه بملف الدعوى، ويشير إليه في لائحة الدعوى. 2 - يك
- Article 48
The article sets the details required in a notice to the court administration under Article 72 of the Law, and refers to paragraph 2 of Article 106 of the Regulations for what the court administration does.
1- يجب أن يتضمن إبلاغ إدارة المحكمة - المشار إليه في المادة (الثانية والسبعين) من النظام - اسم المجني عليه واسم المدعي بالحق الخاص واسم المتهم، والتهمة المنسوبة
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.