Article 47 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 47 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل الأول: تصرفات المحقق
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 - يكون حضور المذكورين في الفقرة (2) من المادة (التاسعة والستين) من النظام لإجراءات التحقيق بعد إبلاغهم وفقاً لإجراءات التبليغ المقررة نظاماً، وللمحقق منعهم أو منع بعضهم من حضور إجراءٍ أو أكثر من إجراءات التحقيق متى رأى ضرورة ذلك لإظهار الحقيقة. وعليه أن يدون الأسباب التي اقتضت ذلك في المحضر. وبمجرد انتهاء تلك الضرورة يتيح لهم الاطلاع على ما تم في غيابهم.
3 - إذا كان للمتهم أكثر من وكيل أو محام فلهم حضور التحقيق، وللمحقق أن يطلب من المتهم اختيار أحدهم لحضور التحقيق إذا رأى مقتضى لذلك.
4 - على المذكورين في الفقرة (2) من المادة (التاسعة والستين) من النظام عدم إفشاء أسرار التحقيق.
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 47 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law brings together several provisions on the parties to an investigation, and refers to Article 69 of the Law.
- The private claimant's claim: If the investigator accepts the claim based on paragraph 1 of Article 69 of the Law, he adds it to the case file and refers to it in the statement of the case.
- Attending investigation procedures: Those mentioned in paragraph 2 of Article 69 of the Law attend after being notified under the notification procedures prescribed by law. The investigator may bar them, or some of them, from attending one or more procedures whenever he sees it as necessary to establish the truth, on two conditions:
- He records the reasons for the bar in the report.
- He allows them to review what was done in their absence as soon as the necessity ends.
- Multiple agents or lawyers: If the accused has more than one agent or lawyer, they may attend the investigation, and the investigator may ask the accused to choose one of them to attend if he sees a need to.
- Confidentiality: Those mentioned in paragraph 2 of Article 69 of the Law must not disclose investigation secrets.
This article does not name the persons mentioned in paragraph 2 of Article 69, so the Law should be consulted. The confidentiality rule here is related to Article 46 of the Regulations, which explains that the Bureau informing relevant government bodies is not considered a disclosure of secrets.
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 accused person in Riyadh appointed three lawyers. All three attended the investigation, then the investigator saw a need for only one of them to attend and asked the accused to choose one. In a later session the investigator barred attendance at a particular procedure because it was necessary to establish the truth, recorded the reasons in the report, and once the necessity ended allowed them to review what had been done.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentCriminal Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Criminal Law lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Ibrahim Al Salem Law Firm
Active contributor
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Frequently asked questions about Article 47 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
May the investigator bar a lawyer from attending an investigation procedure?
The investigator may bar those mentioned in paragraph 2 of Article 69 of the Law, or some of them, from attending one or more procedures whenever he sees it as necessary to establish the truth, recording the reasons in the report and allowing them to review what was done once the necessity ends.
Do all of the accused's lawyers attend the investigation?
They may attend the investigation, and the investigator may ask the accused to choose one of them if he sees a need to.
What happens to the private claimant's claim if the investigator accepts it?
The investigator adds it to the case file and refers to it in the statement of the case.
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 44
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.
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
- 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 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.