Article 32 of the Saudi Emergency Law
المادة 32 من نظام الطوارئ · الفصل الرابع عشر: أحكام ختامية
The article provides that the Emergency Law takes effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يُعمل بالنظام من تاريخ نشره في الجريدة الرسمية.
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 32 explained in plain English
This article sets the date the Emergency Law takes effect, which is the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. There is no waiting period between publication and application; the Law becomes effective from the day it is published.
In practice this means:
- From the date of publication the provisions of the Law must be applied, including those regulating the declaration of a state of emergency and the issuing of emergency orders.
- Fixing the effective date matters for knowing whether the Law governs a particular event according to when it occurred.
- The article does not state the publication date itself, so it should be checked in the Official Gazette when it needs to be determined precisely.
One should distinguish between the Law taking effect and the declaration of a state of emergency. The Law taking effect means its rules have become established and in force, whereas the temporary exceptional measures are tied to the King declaring a state of emergency in response to an emergency event, as the definition of «state of emergency» in Article 1 shows. The existence of the Law does not mean the country is in a state of emergency.
This article comes among the final provisions after Article 31, which makes powers conferred or delegated under the Law or emergency orders additional to other powers. Anyone who needs to know which law applies to an event on a given date can consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases.
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 32 of the Saudi Emergency Law
When does the Emergency Law take effect?
From the date of its publication in the Official Gazette, by the article's text.
Does the Emergency Law taking effect mean a state of emergency has been declared?
No. Under Article 1, a state of emergency is a state the King declares in accordance with the Law in response to an emergency event.
More articles on Penalties for Violating the Emergency Law
- Article 27
The article punishes violating the Emergency Law with up to one year in prison or a fine of up to SAR 100,000, or both, and violating emergency orders with the penalties the order states, failing which a lighter default penalty applies.
1- يُعاقب كل من يخالف أي حكم من أحكام النظام بالسجن مدة لا تتجاوز سنة، أو بغرامة لا تتجاوز (مائة ألف) ريال، أو بهما معًا. 2- يُعاقب كل من يخالف أيًّا من أوامر ا
- Article 28
The article provides that the penalties in the Emergency Law and emergency orders do not prejudice the hadd penalties prescribed by Sharia or the more severe penalties in any other law.
لا تخل العقوبات الواردة في أحكام النظام أو أوامر الطوارئ بالحدود المقررة شرعًا، ولا بالعقوبات الأشد المنصوص عليها في أي نظام آخر.
- Article 29
The article subjects the public criminal action in crimes of violating the Emergency Law or its orders to the Law of Criminal Procedure, and makes the Public Prosecution responsible for investigating, bringing and pursuing the action.
يسري على الدعوى الجزائية العامة في جرائم مخالفة أحكام النظام أو أوامر الطوارئ نظام الإجراءات الجزائية. وتختص النيابة العامة بالتحقيق في هذه الجرائم، وإقامة الدع
- Article 30
The article allows emergency orders to include special periods and procedures for hearing crimes of violating the Law or emergency orders, within the limits the state of emergency requires, provided the safeguards in the relevant laws are not prejudiced.
يجوز أن تتضمن أوامر الطوارئ تحديد مدد وإجراءات خاصة للنظر في جرائم مخالفة أحكام النظام أو أوامر الطوارئ في الحدود التي تستلزمها طبيعة حالة الطوارئ؛ بشرط ألا يخل
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.