Article 72 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 72 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل السادس: الاستجواب والمواجهة
This article of the Regulations details the contents of the accused's interrogation report and how it is written and signed, how he is questioned on confession or denial, and what happens if he refuses to answer or sign.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يُفتتح محضر التحقيق - عند استجواب المتهم - ببيان اسم المحقق، ووظيفته، واسم الكاتب، والمترجم - إن وجد - وكل من حضر من أطراف القضية، ومكان تحرير المحضر، ويومه وتاريخه وساعته، والتهمة المنسوبة إلى المتهم، وعلى المحقق أن يُثبت اسم من أُخذت أقواله، والبيانات اللازمة لإثبات شخصيته، وتُرقَّم صفحات المحضر، ويُحرر بخط واضح دون أي شطب أو كشط أو محو أو تحشية أو تحشير أو ترك فراغ، وإذا اقتضى الأمر إضافة شيء إلى الأقوال فعلى الكاتب بيان ذلك في هامش المحضر، ويوقع المحضر كل من المحقق والكاتب ومن أخذت أقواله، والمترجم إن وجد، ويجوز توثيق إجراءات التحقيق والاستجواب بالصوت والصورة.
2 - يبدأ المحقق بسؤال المتهم مشافهة بعد إحاطته بالتهمة المنسوبة إليه، ويُملي على الكاتب صيغة السؤال بعيداً عن أيِّ إيهامٍ أو غموض؛ فإن اعترف المتهم أخذ توقيعه عليه مع توقيع المحقق والكاتب، ثم يستجوبه تفصيلاً عن وقائع التهمة، ويتثبت من انطباقها على الواقع، ويتأكد من صدق أقوال المتهم وتوافر الأدلة المساندة. وتُدون إجابة المتهم كما نطق بها، وإذا ظهر للمحقق عدم فهم المتهم للسؤال أو كان جوابه خارجاً عن السؤال فعلى المحقق إعادة السؤال عليه مرة أخرى وإفهامه معناه، وإن أصر المتهم على ذلك فتُدون إجابته مع تعليق المحقق على ذلك، على أن تُميَّز إجابة المتهم عن تعليق المحقق.
3 - إذا أنكر المتهم التهمة المنسوبة إليه، فيتثبت المحقق من أقوال المتهم ودفوعه، ثم يواجهه بالأدلة القائمة ضده، ويناقشه فيها، وإذا اقتضى التحقيق تكرار استجواب المتهم فللمحقق ذلك بما لا يؤثر على إرادة المتهم في إبداء أقواله.
4 - إذا امتنع المتهم عن الإجابة أو امتنع عن التوقيع أثبت المحقق امتناعه في المحضر مع ذكر أسباب الامتناع، ولا يمنع ذلك من إصدار أمر بإيقافه إن رأى المحقق موجباً لذلك، والمضي في إجراءات التحقيق.
5 - يوقع كل من المحقق والكاتب في نـهاية كل صفحـة من صفحات المحضر، وكذلك من أُخذت أقواله بعد تلاوتها عليه.
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 72 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law regulates interrogating the accused step by step:
- Contents and form of the report: The report opens with the investigator's name and position, the name of the clerk, the interpreter if there is one, those present from the parties, the place, day, date and hour of drafting, and the charge attributed. The pages are numbered and the report is written in clear handwriting without striking out, scraping, erasing, interlineation or leaving blanks, and any addition is stated by the clerk in the margin. It is signed by the investigator, the clerk, the person whose statements were taken and the interpreter, and the investigation and interrogation may be documented by audio and video.
- How questions are put: The investigator questions the accused orally after informing him of the charge, in wording free of ambiguity and obscurity. If he confesses, his signature is taken with that of the investigator and the clerk, then he is interrogated in detail, and the investigator verifies the truth of his statements and the availability of supporting evidence. The answer is recorded as he spoke it, and the question is repeated if he did not understand it, with the accused's answer distinguished from the investigator's comment.
- Denial: The investigator verifies the accused's statements and defenses, then confronts him with the evidence and discusses it with him, and may repeat the interrogation in a way that does not affect his will.
- Refusal: If he refuses to answer or sign, that is recorded with the reasons, and this does not prevent ordering his detention if the investigator sees grounds for it, and proceeding with the investigation.
- Signature on every page: By the investigator and the clerk, and by the person whose statements were taken after they are read to him.
It is linked to Article 71 of the Regulations on appointing a lawyer for the investigation, and to Article 73 on interrogation outside the premises of the investigating body.
If you are summoned for interrogation, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
Majed was interrogated in a fraud case in Riyadh and denied the charge. The investigator verifies his statements and defenses, then confronts him with the evidence and discusses it with him. At the end of the session his statements are read to him, and he, the investigator and the clerk sign at the end of every page.
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 72 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
What happens if the accused refuses to sign the investigation report?
The investigator records his refusal in the report with the reasons, and this does not prevent ordering his detention if the investigator sees grounds for it, and proceeding with the investigation.
May the investigation be recorded by audio and video?
Yes, the article allows documenting the investigation and interrogation procedures by audio and video.
May the accused's interrogation be repeated?
If the investigation requires it, the investigator may repeat the interrogation in a way that does not affect the accused's will in giving his statements.
Are the accused's answers written verbatim?
Yes, the accused's answer is recorded as he spoke it, and is distinguished from the investigator's comment.
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.