Article 33 of the Saudi Enforcement Law before the Board of Grievances
المادة 33 من نظام التنفيذ أمام ديوان المظالم · الباب الرابع: الجرائم والعقوبات
The article treats the offenses of Article 30, relating to preventing or refusing the enforcement of instruments, as corruption offenses and as serious offenses requiring detention.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تعد الجرائم المنصوص عليها في المادة (الثلاثين) من النظام من جرائم الفساد، ومن الجرائم الكبيرة الموجبة للتوقيف.
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 33 explained in plain English
This article gives the offenses of Article 30 two important legal descriptions:
- Corruption offenses.
- Serious offenses requiring detention.
The offenses meant are those set out in Article 30:
- A public employee's abuse of his influence or official authority to prevent enforcement of the instrument, in whole or in part, intending to obstruct it.
- A public employee's deliberate refusal to enforce the instrument, in whole or in part, intending to obstruct it, after 8 days have passed from his being notified of the notice provided for in Article 10 or the enforcement procedures following the notice reaching him, where enforcement is within his competence.
This article is content with giving the two descriptions and does not itself set out the procedural consequences that follow from them; those are learned from other relevant laws. The clear message is that the legislator treated obstructing the enforcement of judgments and instruments before the Board of Grievances very seriously.
It is preceded by Article 32, which allows publishing a summary of the penalty judgment at the convicted person's expense after it becomes final. It is followed by Article 34, which allows resort to licensed enforcement service providers in accordance with the Enforcement Law.
Because the outcome in each incident depends on its details, anyone facing an accusation or wanting to report such an incident would do well to consult a lawyer specialized in criminal and administrative cases.
Practical example
A public employee was accused of abusing his official authority to prevent enforcement of a judgment issued in favor of a citizen, intending to obstruct it. This offense is among the offenses of Article 30, so under this article it counts as a corruption offense and as a serious offense requiring detention.
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 33 of the Saudi Enforcement Law before the Board of Grievances
Is refusing to enforce a Board of Grievances judgment a corruption offense?
Yes. The offenses set out in Article 30 are treated as corruption offenses.
Is an employee accused of obstructing enforcement of a judgment detained?
The article provides that the offenses of Article 30 are serious offenses requiring detention.
Which offenses does this article cover?
The offenses set out in Article 30, including a public employee's abuse of influence to prevent enforcement and his deliberate refusal to enforce intending to obstruct.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Penalty for Refusing to Enforce Judgments
- Article 12
The article requires an enforcement order to the administrative authority if the Article 10 period ends without enforcement or the authority states refusal, specifying the necessary procedures and notifying the competent body for criminal proceedings.
تصدر دائرة التنفيذ أمراً بالتنفيذ إلى الجهة الإدارية إذا انتهت المهلة المنصوص عليها في المادة (العاشرة) دون أن يتم التنفيذ، أو إذا صرحت خلالها الجهة بما يفيد رف
- Article 30
The article punishes with imprisonment and a fine a public employee who uses his influence to prevent enforcement of an instrument or deliberately refrains from enforcing it intending to obstruct it, and applies the penalties of the Enforcement Law's offenses where they occur.
1- دون إخلال بأي عقوبة أخرى منصوص عليها في نظام آخر، يعاقب الموظف العام: أ- إذا استغل نفوذه أو سلطته الوظيفية في منع تنفيذ السند المطلوب تنفيذه -جزئيًا أو كليًا
- Article 31
The article punishes anyone who participates in committing an offense under Article 30 with the penalty set for that same offense.
يعاقب كل من اشترك في ارتكاب جريمة من الجرائم المنصوص عليها في المادة (الثلاثين) من النظام بالعقوبة المقررة لتلك الجريمة.
- Article 32
The article allows the court to provide in the penalty judgment for publishing its summary, at the expense of the convicted person, in a local newspaper or other suitable means, after the judgment becomes final.
للمحكمة تضمين الحكم الصادر بالعقوبة النص على نشر ملخصه على نفقة المحكوم عليه في صحيفة محلية تصدر في مقر إقامته، فإن لم تكن في مقره صحيفة ففي أقرب منطقة له، أو ن
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.