Article 186 of the Saudi Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 186 من نظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل الثامن: الحكم
Article 186 bars bringing a new criminal case against an accused over the same acts and facts after a ruling on them, whether of conviction or not, and requires the court to observe this even if the litigants do not invoke it.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
متى صدر حكم في موضوع الدعوى الجزائية بالإدانة، أو عدم الإدانة بالنسبة إلى متهم معين، فإنه لا يجوز بعد ذلك أن ترفع دعوى جزائية أخرى ضد هذا المتهم عن الأفعال والوقائع نفسها التي صدر في شأنها الحكم.
وإذا رفعت دعوى جزائية أخرى فيتمسك بالحكم السابق في أي حال كانت عليها الدعوى الأخيرة. ويجب على المحكمة أن تراعي ذلك ولو لم يتمسك به الخصوم. ويثبت الحكم السابق بتقديم صورة مصدقة منه، أو شهادة من المحكمة بصدده.
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 186 explained in plain English
This article establishes an important principle: a person may not be tried twice for the same incident. It contains the following provisions:
- The bar: once a ruling on the subject of the criminal case has been issued, of conviction or of no conviction, regarding a particular accused, another criminal case may not afterwards be brought against this accused over the same acts and facts on which the ruling was issued.
- Invoking the earlier ruling: if another criminal case is brought despite that, the earlier ruling is invoked at any stage of the later case, that is, at any phase of it.
- The court's duty: the court must observe the earlier ruling even if the litigants do not invoke it.
- How it is proven: the earlier ruling is proven by submitting a certified copy of it, or a certificate from the court regarding it.
Note that the bar is tied to two things: that the ruling was issued on the subject of the case, and that the new case is against the same accused over the same acts and facts.
It is followed by Article 187, which provides that every procedure contrary to the provisions of Islamic Sharia or the laws derived from it is void. A person against whom a case is brought over an incident already ruled on is best advised to seek the help of a lawyer specialized in criminal cases to prove the earlier ruling.
Practical example
A ruling was issued that Majed was not convicted of the charge of damaging his neighbor's car in Taif. Months later a new criminal case was brought against him over the same incident, so he submitted a certified copy of the earlier ruling, and the court must observe this ruling even if he does not invoke it.
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 contentA question about Article 186 of Criminal Procedure Law?
Describe what happened and specialist lawyers answer. You can write in English.
- Completely free
- Lawyers from the directory answer
- Your name stays hidden
Criminal 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
شركة امتداد النظام للمحاماة والاستشارات المهنية
- Labour & Employment Law
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Law
- Commercial & Corporate Law
Frequently asked questions about Article 186 of the Saudi Criminal Procedure Law
May an accused be tried twice for the same incident?
No. Once a ruling on the subject of the case has been issued, of conviction or of no conviction, another criminal case may not be brought against the same accused over the same acts and facts.
Can a new case be brought after a ruling of no conviction?
Another criminal case may not be brought against the accused over the same acts and facts, whether the earlier ruling was of conviction or of no conviction.
How does the accused prove that there is an earlier ruling?
By submitting a certified copy of the earlier ruling, or a certificate from the court regarding it.
Does the court observe the earlier ruling if the accused does not mention it?
Yes. The court must observe it even if the litigants do not invoke it.
More articles on Criminal Judgment and Nullity of Procedures
- Article 3
The article bars imposing any criminal penalty on a person except after his conviction is proven for an act prohibited by Sharia or by law, following a trial conducted according to Sharia requirements.
لا يجوز توقيع عقوبة جزائية على أي شخص، إلا بعد ثبوت إدانته بأمر محظور شرعًا أو نظامًا بعد محاكمة تُجْرى وفقًا للمقتضى الشرعي.
- 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 8
The article requires judges to deliberate in secret before issuing the judgment, which is issued unanimously or by majority, with the minority's opinion stated and answered in the record, and limits deliberation to those who heard the pleading.
على أعضاء المحكمة أن يتداولوا الرأي سرًّا ويناقشوا الحكم قبل إصداره، وأن يبدي كل منهم رأيه في ذلك. وتصدر الأحكام بالإجماع أو الأغلبية. وعلى الأقلية أن توضح رأيه
- 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 178
Article 178 provides that if the court rules that an official paper is forged in whole or in part, it orders it canceled or corrected as the case may be, and minutes are drawn up and noted on the paper.
في حال حكم المحكمة بثبوت تزوير ورقة رسمية - كلها أو بعضها - فتأمر بإلغائها، أو تصحيحها - بحسب الأحوال - ويحرر بذلك محضر يؤشر على الورقة بمقتضاه.
- Article 179
Article 179 requires the court to base its ruling on the evidence submitted to it during the hearing of the case, and bars the judge from ruling according to his own knowledge or contrary to his knowledge.
تستند المحكمة في حكمها إلى الأدلة المقدمة إليها أثناء نظر القضية، ولا يجوز للقاضي أن يقضي بعلمه ولا بما يخالف علمه.
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.