Article 21 of the Saudi Enforcement Law
المادة 21 من نظام التنفيذ · الفصل الرابع: تتبع الأموال
The article allows the court to question the enforcement debtor and anyone suspected of receiving smuggled assets where indications of hiding exist, requires a response within 3 working days, and permits compelled attendance.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- للمحكمة -بناءً على طلب طالب التنفيذ- إذا توافرت قرائن تدل على إخفاء المنفذ ضده أمواله أو تهريبها أن تقوم بنفسها، أو من خلال أمر تصدره للإدارة المختصة أو للقطاع الخاص المرخص بتتبع الأموال، باستجواب المنفذ ضده أو من يشتبه في تهريب الأموال إليه من: أقاربه، ووكلائه، ومن تربطه بهم علاقة تعاقد عمالية، والمتعاملين معه ماليًّا، ومدينيه، والمشتبه في محاباتهم له؛ وفق ما يظهر من القرائن التي تدل على ذلك.
2- على المطلوب للاستجواب -وفقًا لما ورد في الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة- أن يستجيب لذلك خلال مدة لا تتجاوز (ثلاثة) أيام عمل من تاريخ إبلاغه بالأمر عبر الوسيلة المناسبة التي تحددها اللائحة. ويجوز للمحكمة -عند الاقتضاء- الأمر بإحضاره بالقوة الجبرية لاستجوابه أمام المحكمة.
3- للمحكمة أن تأمر الجهة المختصة، أو الجهة المشرفة على الأموال أو تسجيلها، بتتبع أموال المنفذ ضده ومن يشتبه في تهريب الأموال إليه، وتزويد المحكمة بتقرير بذلك.
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 21 explained in plain English
This article sets out the means of tracing assets that the court may use, and it complements Article 20, which establishes the principle of tracing.
1- Questioning: the court, at the request of the enforcement applicant and where there are indications of the enforcement debtor hiding or smuggling out his assets, may question:
- The enforcement debtor himself.
- Anyone suspected of receiving smuggled assets, among: his relatives, his agents, those linked to him by an employment contract, those who deal financially with him, his debtors, and those suspected of favoring him, as the indications show.
The questioning is done in one of three ways: the court does it itself, or by an order from it to the competent department, or by an order from it to the licensed private sector in asset tracing.
2- Duty to respond: the person summoned for questioning must respond within a period not exceeding 3 working days from the date he is notified, by the means the Implementing Regulations specify. The court may, where necessary, order that he be brought by compulsory force to be questioned before it.
3- Tracing through bodies: the court may order the competent authority, or the authority supervising or registering assets, to trace the assets of the enforcement debtor and of anyone suspected of receiving smuggled assets, and to provide it with a report on that.
Note that questioning does not cover just anyone, but those to whom the indications show suspicion that assets were smuggled. It is followed by Article 22, which refers to the Implementing Regulations the controls and procedures for tracing assets in this chapter.
Practical example
A creditor asked the Enforcement Court to question the debtor's brother, after it appeared that the debtor had transferred cars to him following the issuing of the enforcement order. The court may order the brother to be questioned, and he must respond within 3 working days from being notified; if he does not respond, the court may, where necessary, order that he be brought by compulsory force.
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 21 of the Saudi Enforcement Law
Can a debtor's relatives be questioned in enforcement?
Yes. If there are indications of hiding or smuggling out assets, the court, at the request of the enforcement applicant, may question those suspected of receiving smuggled assets, including his relatives, as the indications show.
How long does a person have to respond to a request for questioning?
Not more than 3 working days from the date of notification, and the court may, where necessary, order that he be brought by compulsory force.
Does the court use private companies to trace assets?
Yes. The court may issue an order to the licensed private sector in asset tracing to carry out the questioning.
More articles on Compulsory Enforcement and Travel Ban
- Article 18
The article provides that compulsory enforcement begins when 5 working days pass from notification without compliance, unless the debtor provides a bank guarantee, and permits a daily fine of up to SAR 5,000.
1- إذا مضت (خمسة) أيام عمل من تاريخ إبلاغ المنفذ ضده بأمر التنفيذ أو من تاريخ الإعلان وفق ما قضت به المادة (الرابعة عشرة) من النظام، ولم ينفذ المنفذ ضده التزامه
- Article 19
The article allows a travel ban on the enforcement debtor at the applicant's request for up to 3 years, extendable to 6 years, and lists the cases in which the ban is lifted.
1- إذا انقضت المدة، المنصوص عليها في الفقرة (1) من المادة (الثامنة عشرة) من النظام، تأمر المحكمة بمنع المنفذ ضده من السفر إلى خارج المملكة -بناءً على طلب يقدم م
- Article 20
The article provides that the court orders tracing of the enforcement debtor's assets at the applicant's request where indications of hiding or smuggling exist, and lets the applicant see data on his assets within the purpose.
1- في حال عدم تنفيذ المنفذ ضده لأمر التنفيذ بعد البدء في إجراءات التنفيذ الجبري، تأمر المحكمة بتتبع أمواله بناءً على طلب يقدم من طالب التنفيذ؛ متى توافرت قرائن
- Article 22
The article refers to the Implementing Regulations the controls and procedures for tracing assets provided for in this chapter.
تحدد اللائحة ضوابط وإجراءات تتبع الأموال المنصوص عليه في هذا الفصل.
- Article 24
The article lets the enforcement applicant sue to annul the debtor's gifts, early repayments and unusual contracts made before attachment, and declares any disposal after an attachment order void.
1- يجوز لطالب التنفيذ أن يتقدم إلى المحكمة بدعوى إبطال تصرف المنفذ ضده، إذا ثبت أنه تصرف بأي مالٍ من أمواله من تاريخ إخطاره بطلب أداء الحق وفق ما قضت به المادة
- Article 36
If an obligation to do or refrain from doing something is not performed within 5 working days, the court takes compulsory steps including the competent force, contacting the competent authority, a travel ban and a daily fine.
إذا كان محل التنفيذ فعلاً أو امتناعًا عن فعل، ولم يُنفذ المنفذ ضده التزامه خلال (خمسة) أيام عمل من تاريخ إبلاغه بأمر التنفيذ أو من تاريخ الإعلان وفق ما قضت به ا
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.