Article 166 of the Saudi Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 166 من نظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل السادس: إجراءات الجلسة ونظامها
Article 166 provides that a witness who is proven to have made statements he knows are untrue is sentenced to ta'zir for the offense of false testimony.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا ثبت أن الشاهد أدلى بأقوال يعلم أنها غير صحيحة، فيعزر على جريمة شهادة الزور.
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 166 explained in plain English
This article deals with false testimony, and provides that a witness is sentenced to ta'zir for it when two things come together:
- Proof: it is proven that the witness made untrue statements.
- Knowledge: the witness knew that his statements were untrue.
The requirement of knowledge is fundamental in the text: according to the article's wording, it is not enough that the statements are untrue; it must be proven that the witness made statements he knows are untrue.
The penalty the article mentions is ta'zir, without specifying its amount or type, so the text contains no fixed penalty.
This article is part of the provisions regulating testimony. Article 165 requires a person called to give testimony by order of the judge to attend at the time and place specified, and Article 167 explains that the statements of a witness who has not reached majority, or in whom there is something that prevents his testimony from being accepted, do not count as testimony, although the court may hear them if it finds benefit in doing so.
A person accused of false testimony, or harmed by testimony he believes to be false, is best advised to consult a lawyer specialized in criminal cases.
Practical example
A man testified in a case before a court in Jeddah that he had seen the accused at the scene, and it was later proven that he knew his statements were untrue. Under this article he is sentenced to ta'zir for the offense of false testimony.
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 166 of the Saudi Criminal Procedure Law
What is the penalty for false testimony?
The article provides that the witness is sentenced to ta'zir for the offense of false testimony, without specifying the amount of the ta'zir.
Is a witness punished if he makes an honest mistake?
The article requires it to be proven that the witness made statements he knows are untrue, so knowledge that they are untrue is a condition in the text.
More articles on Criminal Trial Procedures
- Article 1
The article requires the courts to apply Sharia rules and the regulations that do not conflict with the Quran and the Sunnah, and to observe the procedures of the Criminal Procedure Law when hearing cases.
تطبق المحاكم على القضايا المعروضة أمامها أحكام الشريعة الإسلامية، وفقًا لما دل عليه الكتاب والسنة، وما يصدره ولي الأمر من أنظمة لا تتعارض مع الكتاب والسنة، وتتق
- 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 6
The article makes trying the accused the role of the courts under Sharia requirements and the Law's procedures, and allows the court to consider facts the public prosecutor did not allege if they need no investigation.
تتولى المحاكم محاكمة المتهمين فيما يسند إليهم من تهم وفقًا للمقتضى الشرعي وطبقًا للإجراءات المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام. وللمحكمة أن تنظر في وقائع غير مدعى بها م
- Article 7
The article requires the number of judges required by law to attend the sessions hearing a case and the judgment session, and says who is assigned to complete the quorum if the number is not met.
يجب أن يحضر جلسات النظر في القضية وجلسة إصدار الحكم العدد اللازم نظامًا من القضاة؛ فإن لم يتوافر العدد اللازم فيكلف رئيس المحكمة من يكمل النصاب من قضاتها، فإن ت
- Article 12
The article refers the investigation of juveniles and girls, and their trial, to the laws and regulations governing that.
يكون التحقيق مع الأحداث والفتيات ومحاكمتهم وفقًا للأنظمة واللوائح المنظمة لذلك.
- Article 18
The article provides that if the court finds a conflict between the interest of the victim or his heir and that of his representative, the representative is barred from continuing to plead and another representative is appointed.
إذا ظهر للمحكمة تعارض بين مصلحة المجني عليه أو وارثه من بعده وبين مصلحة نائبه؛ فَيُمْنَع النائب من الاستمرار في المرافعة، ويقام نائب آخر.
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.