Article 69 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 69 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل الخامس: الاستماع إلى الشهود
This article of the Regulations allows the investigator to prevent witnesses from communicating with each other, explains the two methods of confrontation and what is recorded in it, and allows a witness's identity to be concealed where needed.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- للمحقق اتخاذ ما يراه لمنع اتصال الشهود الحاضرين ببعضهم، حتى ينتهي من سماع شهادة كل منهم.
2 - تكون المواجهة - المنصوص عليها في المادة (الثامنة والتسعين) من النظام - إما بمواجهة الشهود بعضهم ببعض، وبالخصوم، أو بأن يذكر المحقق لكل شخص ما قاله الآخر، وكلاهما ماثل أمام المحقق، وإذا أصر كل منهما على قوله فعلى المحقق إثبات ذلك في المحضر، وإن عدل أحدهما عن أقواله وجبت مناقشته عن هذا العدول، ويُثبت المحققُ جميعَ ما يصدر من الأشخاص الذين تجرى بينهم المواجهة من تصرفات أو أقوال.
3 - للمحقق أن يخفي هوية الشاهد وألا يواجهه بالخصوم أو باقي الشهود متى رأى أن مصلحة التحقيق أو مصلحة الشاهد تستلزم ذلك.
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 69 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law deals with three matters concerning witnesses during the investigation:
- Preventing witnesses from communicating: The investigator may take what he sees fit to prevent the witnesses present from communicating with each other until he has finished hearing the testimony of each of them, so that no witness's testimony is influenced by what another said.
- Confrontation: The confrontation provided for in Article 98 of the Law takes place in one of two ways:
- Confronting the witnesses with each other and with the litigants.
- Or the investigator tells each person what the other said, with both present before him.
- Concealing a witness's identity: The investigator may conceal the witness's identity and not confront him with the litigants or the other witnesses, whenever he sees that the interest of the investigation or the witness's interest requires it.
The third paragraph thus gives the investigator the discretion to protect the witness, and the standard stated is the interest of the investigation or the interest of the witness.
This article is linked to Article 68 of the Regulations, which requires the witness's testimony to be recorded verbatim in the report, and to Article 70, which leaves the assessment of a witness's excuse for not attending to the investigator.
If you are a witness who fears confrontation, or an accused person who wants to understand the effect of confrontation on your case, you can consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
Khalid witnessed a fight in a neighborhood in Jeddah and feared being harmed if his identity became known. The investigator, whenever he sees that the interest of the investigation or the witness's interest requires it, may conceal Khalid's identity and not confront him with the litigants or the other witnesses.
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 69 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
Can a witness's identity be concealed in the investigation?
Yes, the investigator may conceal the witness's identity and not confront him with the litigants or the other witnesses whenever he sees that the interest of the investigation or the witness's interest requires it.
How is the confrontation between witnesses carried out?
Either by confronting the witnesses with each other and with the litigants, or by the investigator telling each person what the other said, with both present before him.
What happens if a witness retracts his statements during the confrontation?
He must be questioned about this retraction, and the investigator records the statements and acts that occur.
More articles on Interrogating the Accused and Hearing Witnesses
- Article 50
The article requires the investigator's delegation of an expert to be written, stating the task and its time limit, under the investigator's oversight, and regulates giving the expert access to evidence and his duty to perform the task himself.
1- يكون ندب المحقق للخبير لإبداء رأيه في مسألة متعلقة بالتحقيق - وفقاً لما ورد في المادة (السادسة والسبعين) من النظام - مكتوباً، ويحدد في الندب المهمة المطلوبة،
- Article 51
The article sets the content of the expert's report, the case of several experts who differ, the investigator's discussion with the expert, a litigant's expert's right to review materials, and adding reports to the case file.
1- يقدم الخبير عند إنجاز مهمته المطلوبة منه - وفقاً لما ورد في المادة (السابعة والسبعين) من النظام - تقريراً مؤرخاً وموقعاً منه يتضمن ملخصاً للمهمة وإجراءات الك
- Article 52
The article leaves assessing urgent cases to the investigator, bars repeating an objection to an expert once rejected unless new grounds arise, and allows raising it before the court.
1- يرجع في تقدير الأحوال التي تقتضي الاستعجال - المشار إليه في المادة (الثامنة والسبعين) من النظام - إلى المحقق. 2 - في حال عدم قبول المحقق للاعتراض - المشار إل
- Article 67
This article of the Regulations regulates hearing a witness before the investigator: notifying him, interpretation, deficient capacity, a reasoned refusal to hear him, and how his testimony is taken and discussed.
1- يكون تبليغ الشاهد للحضور لسماع أقواله بالوسيلة المناسبة التي يراها المحقق. 2 - إذا كان الشاهد لا يتحدث العربية أو يتحدثها بلهجة يصعب فهمها؛ فيستعين المحقق بث
- Article 68
This article of the Regulations requires the witness's testimony and answers to be recorded verbatim, and the interpreter's name, those present, and the place and time of the testimony to be recorded in the investigation report.
تدون في محضر التحقيق شهادة الشاهد وأجوبته عن الأسئلة المطروحة عليه بنصها كما نطق بها، ويثبت فيه - بالإضافة إلى البيانات الواردة في المادة (السادسة والتسعين) من
- Article 70
This article of the Regulations leaves the assessment of a witness's excuse for not attending to the investigator, and allows him to delegate someone else to hear a witness living outside his territorial jurisdiction, or to hear him himself with approval.
1- يُرجع في تقدير العذر المانع من حضور الشاهد - وفق ما ورد في المادة (المائة) من النظام - إلى المحقق. 2 - إذا كانت إقامة الشاهد خارج حدود اختصاص المحقق المكاني،
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.