Article 71 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 71 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل السادس: الاستجواب والمواجهة
This article of the Regulations allows recording the accused's appointment of his lawyer for the investigation stage, requires investigating a legal person through its legal representative, and requires a specialist's presence in domestic violence cases where needed.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
1- للمحقق - عند الاقتضاء - أن يثبت في محضر خاص توكيل المتهم لمحاميه لمرحلة التحقيق.
2 - إذا طال التحقيق شخصية اعتبارية، فيجرى مع ممثلها النظامي.
3- يكون سماع أقوال المتهم في قضايا العنف الأسري والتحقيق فيها، بحضور أخصائي نفسي أو اجتماعي من ذوي الخبرة، عند الحاجة
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 71 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law brings together three provisions on the investigation:
- Appointing a lawyer for the investigation stage: The investigator may, where necessary, record in a special report the accused's appointment of his lawyer for the investigation stage. The wording is permissive and tied to need.
- Legal persons: If the investigation concerns a legal person, such as a company or institution, it is conducted with its legal representative.
- Domestic violence cases: The accused's statements in domestic violence cases, and the investigation of them, are heard in the presence of an experienced psychological or social specialist, where needed.
The third paragraph was added to the article by Council of Ministers Resolution No. 332 dated 14/6/1440 AH, so it is a newly introduced provision in the Regulations.
The article does not state who decides that a specialist is needed, or how he is chosen, so these details remain outside its text.
This article is linked to Article 70 of the Regulations on a witness's excuse and hearing a witness living outside the territorial jurisdiction, and to Article 72, which details how the interrogation report is opened and the accused's statements are recorded and signed.
If you are an accused person or a representative of a company under investigation, it is best to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
A contracting company in Riyadh was summoned for investigation over an incident attributed to it. The investigation is conducted with its legal representative. And if one of the accused in the case appoints a lawyer for the investigation, the investigator may, where necessary, record this appointment in a special report.
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 71 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
Can a lawyer be appointed at the investigation stage?
The article allows the investigator, where necessary, to record in a special report the accused's appointment of his lawyer for the investigation stage.
With whom is the investigation conducted if the accused is a company?
If the investigation concerns a legal person, it is conducted with its legal representative.
Does a psychological specialist attend domestic violence investigations?
Yes, the accused's statements in domestic violence cases, and the investigation of them, are heard in the presence of an experienced psychological or social specialist where needed.
Amendment history
Amendment — 14/6/1440 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
- إضافة فقرة تحمل الرقم (3) إلى هذه المادة وذلك بموجب قرار مجلس الوزراء رقم (332) وتاريخ 1440/6/14هـ، وتكون بالنص الآتي:
"يكون سماع أقوال المتهم في قضايا العنف الأسري والتحقيق فيها، بحضور أخصائي نفسي أو اجتماعي من ذوي الخبرة، عند الحاجة".
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
1- للمحقق - عند الاقتضاء - أن يثبت في محضر خاص توكيل المتهم لمحاميه لمرحلة التحقيق.
2 - إذا طال التحقيق شخصية اعتبارية، فيجرى مع ممثلها النظامي.
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 69
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.
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 ال
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.