Article 17 of the Saudi Emergency Law
المادة 17 من نظام الطوارئ · الفصل الثامن: الحصول على المعلومات والوثائق
The article requires everyone involved in applying the Emergency Law to keep confidential what they have seen, disclosing it only where necessary for purposes set by the competent authorities, and not without a legal justification.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يلتزم كل من يُعنى بتطبيق أحكام النظام بسرية المعلومات والوثائق التي اطّلع عليها، وألّا يكشف سريتها إلا لضرورة استخدامها للأغراض التي تحددها جهات الاختصاص، وألّا يفصح عن البيانات المتعلقة بها دون مسوّغ نظامي.
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 17 explained in plain English
Where Article 16 classifies the information obtained under the Law as confidential, this article sets out the duty of the people who gain access to it.
Who is bound? Everyone involved in applying the provisions of the Law, such as personnel of the National Emergency Management Authority, the public bodies tasked with implementation, and others whose work relates to applying the Law.
What are they bound to do?
- Keep confidential the information and documents they have seen.
- Not disclose their confidentiality except where necessary to use them for purposes set by the competent authorities.
- Not disclose the related data without a legal justification.
This means disclosure is not absolutely prohibited. It is permitted where necessary and within the purposes set by the competent authorities, or where there is a legal justification for disclosure. Disclosure outside those limits is a breach of this duty.
This article completes the information-protection scheme in Chapter Eight:
- Article 15: the duty of public and private bodies to provide the Authority with the information it requests.
- Article 16: the classification of this information as confidential unless it is publicly available.
- This article: the duty of those who see it to keep it secret.
The article does not set a penalty for breaching this duty. A person accused of disclosing information they saw while applying the Law can consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
An employee of a public body tasked with carrying out emergency orders has seen documents on the protection plans of a power station. He may not disclose them except where necessary to use them for purposes set by the competent authorities, nor disclose their data without a legal justification.
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 17 of the Saudi Emergency Law
Who is bound to keep emergency information confidential?
Everyone involved in applying the provisions of the Law, with respect to the information and documents they have seen.
When may confidential information be disclosed?
Where necessary to use it for purposes set by the competent authorities, or where there is a legal justification for disclosure.
More articles on Confidentiality of Emergency Information
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.