Article 57 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 57 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل الثالث: الانتقال والمعاينة والتفتيش وضبط الأشياء المتعلقة بالجريمة
The article requires the investigator to go to a government body to review case-related documents that cannot be moved, and allows him to take copies after the competent official approves.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا رأى المحقق أن هناك حاجة إلى الاطلاع على مستندات تتعلق بالقضية في إحدى الجهات الحكومية لا يمكن نقلها من مكانها؛ فيبادر إلى الانتقال إلى تلك الجهـة، والاطلاع عليها، وله أخذ صور منها بعد موافقة المسؤول المختص.
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 57 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law deals with a practical situation: the investigator needs documents held by a government body that cannot be moved.
Conditions for the article to apply:
- The investigator sees a need to review the documents.
- The documents must be related to the case.
- They must be held by a government body.
- They cannot be moved from their place.
What does the investigator do?
- He promptly goes to that body.
- He reviews the documents.
- He may take copies of them, but after the competent official approves in the body.
Notes: The article concerns documents held by government bodies only, and does not address documents held by individuals or companies. Also, taking copies depends on the competent official's approval, while the article does not make the review itself subject to that approval.
Relationship to neighboring articles: It comes after Article 56, which regulates examining the sites of the offense on the victim's body, and before Article 58, which provides that seizing, attaching and inquiring about funds and balances held at banks is by a request directed to the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority by the head of the Bureau's branch in the region, or by an authority entitled to request it.
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 a forgery case in Dammam needed to review original records held by a government body that could not be moved. He went to the body and reviewed them, then took copies of them after the competent official approved.
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 57 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
Does the investigator ask for government documents to be sent to him?
If the documents cannot be moved from their place, the investigator promptly goes to the government body and reviews them there.
May the investigator photocopy documents held by a government body?
Yes, he may take copies of them after the competent official approves.
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 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
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.