Article 128 of the Saudi Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 128 من نظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل الأول: الاختصاصات الجزائية
The article provides that the criminal court has jurisdiction to decide all criminal cases, without prejudice to the jurisdiction of other courts.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
مع عدم الإخلال باختصاصات المحاكم الأخرى، تختص المحكمة الجزائية بالفصل في جميع القضايا الجزائية.
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 128 explained in plain English
This article sets the general rule of subject-matter jurisdiction over criminal cases: the criminal court has jurisdiction to decide all criminal cases.
However, the text begins with an important restriction: "without prejudice to the jurisdiction of other courts." This means that this general jurisdiction does not cancel what other courts have jurisdiction over under the Law. The article itself does not specify those courts or their jurisdictions, so it cannot be concluded from it alone that every case of a criminal nature is heard by the criminal court without exception.
This article is connected to nearby articles:
- Article 127: if the investigation covers crimes within the jurisdiction of courts of different jurisdiction, they are brought before the court with the wider jurisdiction.
- Article 129: in a town that has no criminal court, the general court has jurisdiction over what the criminal court has jurisdiction over, unless the Supreme Judicial Council decides otherwise.
The rule is thus that criminal cases are heard before the criminal court, taking into account the jurisdiction of other courts and the case where there is no criminal court in the town. To know which court has jurisdiction over a particular case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specialized in criminal cases.
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 128 of the Saudi Criminal Procedure Law
Which court has jurisdiction over criminal cases?
The criminal court has jurisdiction to decide all criminal cases, without prejudice to the jurisdiction of other courts.
What if there is no criminal court in the town?
Under Article 129, the general court in that town has jurisdiction over what the criminal court has jurisdiction over, unless the Supreme Judicial Council decides otherwise.
More articles on Dismissing the Case and Criminal Jurisdiction
- Article 5
The article bars referring a case already brought before a court to another court or body, or anyone withdrawing it, before judgment, and treats the case as brought from the date it is registered at the court.
إذا رفعت قضية إلى محكمة فلا تجوز إحالتها إلى محكمة أو جهة أخرى ولا يحق لأحد سحبها منها قبل الحكم فيها، وتعد القضية مرفوعة من تاريخ قيدها في المحكمة.
- Article 63
If the investigator sees no basis to proceed with the case, he may recommend that the papers be archived, and the archiving order is issued by the head of the department to which he belongs.
للمحقق إذا رأى أن لا وجه للسير في الدعوى أن يوصي بحفظ الأوراق، ولرئيس الدائرة التي يتبعها المحقق الأمر بحفظها.
- Article 64
If an order archiving the case is issued, the investigator must notify the victim and the private claimant, and if one of them has died, all his heirs at the deceased's place of residence.
إذا صدر أمر بالحفظ وجب على المحقق إبلاغ المجني عليه والمدعي بالحق الخاص، وفي حال وفاة أحدهما يكون الإبلاغ لورثته جميعهم في مكان إقامة المتوفى.
- Article 65
The accused may use an agent or lawyer to attend the investigation; investigation is required in all major crimes, and for other crimes the investigator may investigate or bring the case directly to court.
للمتهم حق الاستعانة بوكيل أو محام لحضور التحقيق. ويجب على المحقق أن يقوم بالتحقيق في جميع الجرائم الكبيرة وفقًا لما هو منصوص عليه في هذا النظام. وله في غير هذه
- Article 91
The article requires a decision on how seized items are to be disposed of when an order is made to close the case, and also when judgment is given if their return is claimed before the court.
يجب - عند صدور أمر بحفظ الدعوى - أن يُفْصَل في كيفية التصرف في الأشياء المضبوطة، وكذلك الحال عند الحكم في الدعوى إذا حصلت المطالبة بردها أمام المحكمة.
- Article 93
The article allows the court within whose jurisdiction the place of the investigation falls to refer the parties to litigation before the competent court, with the seized items possibly placed under guard or other precautionary measures taken.
للمحكمة التي يقع في دائرتها مكان التحقيق أن تأمر بإحالة الخصوم للتقاضي أمام المحكمة المختصة إذا رأت موجبًا لذلك. وفي هذه الحال يجوز وضع الأشياء المضبوطة تحت الح
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.