Article 187 of the Saudi Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 187 من نظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل التاسع: أوجه البطلان
Article 187 provides that every criminal procedure contrary to the provisions of Islamic Sharia or the laws derived from it is void.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
كل إجراء مخالف لأحكام الشريعة الإسلامية، أو الأنظمة المستمدة منها، يكون باطلًا.
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 187 explained in plain English
This article sets the general rule on the voidness of procedures in the criminal case, a rule that is short in wording but broad in effect:
- The subject of voidness: every procedure, without specifying a particular stage or authority.
- The cause of voidness: the procedure's violation of the provisions of Islamic Sharia, or of the laws derived from it.
- The effect: the violating procedure is void.
The following articles detail the provisions on voidness. Article 188 provides that voidness resulting from failure to observe the laws relating to the court's jurisdiction, as to its composition or its competence to hear the case, may be invoked at any stage of the case, and the court rules it even without a request. This general rule is the basis on which those details are built.
In practical terms, this means that respecting procedures is not a formality: a procedure carried out contrary to what Sharia or the laws derived from it establish is not given effect. The article itself does not list the forms of violation, and does not itself explain the effect of one procedure's voidness on other procedures; it states only the general rule.
The article comes after Article 186, which bars bringing another criminal case against the accused over the same acts and facts after a ruling on their subject. A person who believes that a procedure in his case was carried out in violation of the Law is best advised to seek the help of a lawyer specialized in criminal cases to assess this and raise 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 187 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 187 of the Saudi Criminal Procedure Law
When is a criminal procedure void?
Every procedure contrary to the provisions of Islamic Sharia or the laws derived from it is void.
Does the article specify the forms of void procedures?
No. The article sets a general rule covering every violating procedure, without listing the forms of violation.
What is the difference between this article and Article 188?
Article 187 is a general rule for every violating procedure, while Article 188 concerns voidness resulting from failure to observe the laws on the court's jurisdiction, as to its composition or competence.
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.