Article 16 of the Saudi Elderly Rights and Care Law
المادة 16 من نظام حقوق كبير السن ورعايته
The article punishes breach of Articles 3 and 15 with imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to SAR 500,000 or both, excludes the caregiver if the father or wife, and allows doubling for repeat offense.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يعاقب من يخل بأيٍّ من أحكام المادتين (الثالثة) و(الخامسة عشرة) من النظام، بعقوبة أو أكثر من العقوبات الآتية:
أ- السجن مدة لا تزيد على سنة.
ب- غرامة لا تزيد على (خمسمائة ألف) ريال.
2- لا يسري ما ورد في الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة إذا كان العائل هو الأب أو الزوجة.
وتجوز مضاعفة العقوبة على المخالف في حالة العود بما لا يتجاوز ضعف الحد الأقصى المقرر.
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 16 explained in plain English
This is the Law's article on criminal penalties, and it is tied to two articles:
- Article 3: the elderly person has the right to live with their family, and the family must house and care for them, with responsibility on family members in the order in Article 6.
- Article 15: it prohibits the caregiver from dealing with the elderly person's property without their consent and from intentionally failing to protect the rights and care of the needy elderly person, and prohibits anyone entrusted with authority to deal with their property from intentionally mismanaging it.
The penalty: anyone who breaches any provision of these two articles is punished with one or more of the following:
- Imprisonment for up to one year.
- A fine of up to SAR 500,000.
So either may be imposed or both together, and both are set as a maximum with no minimum in the text.
The exception: what is stated in paragraph 1 does not apply if the caregiver is the father or the wife.
Repeat offense: the penalty on the offender may be doubled in case of repeat offense, up to twice the maximum set.
This provision is complemented by Article 17, which provides that if any of the acts in Article 15 constitutes a crime under other laws, the harsher penalty applies. This article does not say which body investigates or the trial procedures. Anyone party to a case of this kind should consult a lawyer specializing in criminal cases.
Practical example
A brother in Riyadh supports his needy 68-year-old brother, and then intentionally mismanaged the funds entrusted to him. This is a breach of Article 15, so he may be punished with imprisonment for up to one year, or a fine of up to SAR 500,000, or both, and if he repeats it the penalty may be doubled, up to twice the maximum.
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 16 of the Saudi Elderly Rights and Care Law
What is the penalty for abusing an elderly person under the Law?
Anyone who breaches Articles 3 and 15 is punished with imprisonment for up to one year, or a fine of up to SAR 500,000, or both.
Does the penalty apply if the caregiver is the father or wife?
No, paragraph 2 provides that paragraph 1 does not apply if the caregiver is the father or the wife.
Is the penalty doubled for repeat violations?
The penalty may be doubled in case of repeat offense, up to twice the maximum set.
Articles this article refers to
- Article 3
The article recognizes the elderly person's right to live with their family, and requires the family to house and care for them in the order set out in Article 6.
لكبير السن حق العيش مع أسرته، وعليها إيواؤه ورعايته، وتكون المسؤولية في ذلك على أفراد الأسرة وفقًا للتسلسل المنصوص عليه في المادة (السادسة) من النظام.
- Article 15
The article prohibits the caregiver from dealing with the elderly person's property without their consent or intentionally failing to protect their rights and care, and prohibits anyone entrusted with authority over their property from intentionally mismanaging it.
1- يحظر على العائل التصرف في مال كبير السن دون موافقته. 2- يحظر على العائل الإخلال عمدًا بحماية حقوق كبير السن المحتاج ورعايته. 3- يحظر إساءة التصرف عمدًا في ما
More articles on Penalty for Mistreating the Elderly
- Article 15
The article prohibits the caregiver from dealing with the elderly person's property without their consent or intentionally failing to protect their rights and care, and prohibits anyone entrusted with authority over their property from intentionally mismanaging it.
1- يحظر على العائل التصرف في مال كبير السن دون موافقته. 2- يحظر على العائل الإخلال عمدًا بحماية حقوق كبير السن المحتاج ورعايته. 3- يحظر إساءة التصرف عمدًا في ما
- Article 17
The article applies the harsher penalty if any of the acts prohibited in Article 15 constitutes a crime under other laws.
إذا شكل أي من الأفعال الواردة في المادة (الخامسة عشرة) من النظام؛ جريمة بموجب أنظمة أخرى؛ فتطبق العقوبة الأشد.
- Article 18
The article allows the competent court to impose an alternative penalty to those in Article 16, provided that it is in service of the elderly.
للمحكمة المختصة أن تحكم بعقوبة بديلة عن العقوبات الواردة في المادة (السادسة عشرة) من النظام على أن تكون في خدمة كبار السن.
- Article 19
The article assigns the Public Prosecution to investigate violations of Articles 3 and 15 of the Law and to bring the case before the competent court.
تتولى النيابة العامة التحقيق في المخالفات الواردة في المادتين (الثالثة) و(الخامسة عشرة) من النظام، وإقامة الدعوى أمام المحكمة المختصة.
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.