Article 54 of the Saudi Enforcement Law
المادة 54 من نظام التنفيذ · الباب السادس: العقوبات
Anyone, a parent or otherwise, who refuses to comply with, resists or obstructs an enforcement order on custody, guardianship or visitation is punished by up to 90 days' imprisonment and a fine of up to SAR 30,000, or either.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يعاقب بالسجن مدة لا تزيد على (تسعين) يومًا، وبغرامة لا تزيد على (ثلاثين ألف) ريال، أو بإحدى هاتين العقوبتين؛ كل من امتنع من الوالدين -أو غيرهما- عن تنفيذ أمر تنفيذ صادر بالحضانة، أو الولاية، أو الزيارة، أو قاوم التنفيذ، أو عطّله.
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 54 explained in plain English
This article protects the enforcement of orders on custody, guardianship and visitation with a criminal penalty, punishing with imprisonment of not more than 90 days, a fine of not more than SAR 30,000, or either of these penalties, anyone who:
- Refuses to comply with an enforcement order issued on custody, guardianship or visitation.
- Resists enforcement.
- Obstructs enforcement.
Who the text covers: Parents or others. The penalty is therefore not limited to the father or mother, but covers any other person who refuses to comply with the order or resists or obstructs enforcement.
Note that the text ties the penalty to the existence of an enforcement order that has been issued on custody, guardianship or visitation, and to refusing to comply with it or resisting or obstructing its enforcement.
This article follows Article 53, which punishes an enforcement applicant who requests a procedure with the intent of harming the enforcement debtor, a person who discloses data on the enforcement debtor's property, and other categories. It is followed by Article 55, which provides that if any act under this chapter constitutes an offense provided for in another law, the more severe penalty applies.
A person who faces refusal to comply with a custody or visitation order, or an accusation of obstructing it, may need to consult a lawyer specialized in personal status or criminal cases.
Practical example
An enforcement order was issued allowing a mother in Riyadh to visit her daughter, who is in her father's custody, and the father refused to let her visit. This refusal exposes him to the penalty in the article: imprisonment of not more than 90 days and a fine of not more than SAR 30,000, or either. The same ruling applies if the girl were with her grandmother and the grandmother refused to comply with the order.
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 54 of the Saudi Enforcement Law
What is the penalty for refusing to comply with a visitation or custody judgment?
Imprisonment of not more than 90 days and a fine of not more than SAR 30,000, or either.
Is someone other than the parents punished if he obstructs a custody order?
Yes. The penalty covers parents or others who refuse to comply with the order or resist or obstruct enforcement.
Does the penalty cover guardianship orders?
Yes. It covers refusing to comply with an enforcement order issued on custody, guardianship or visitation.
More articles on Enforcing Custody and Visitation Judgments
- Article 38
An enforceable instrument in personal status matters is enforced by the methods set out in the Law and the Implementing Regulations, which set the procedures for enforcing instruments involving periodic payments.
1- ينفذ السند التنفيذي المتعلق بمسائل الأحوال الشخصية بالطرق المقررة في النظام واللائحة. 2- تبين اللائحة إجراءات التنفيذ في مسائل الأحوال الشخصية المتضمنة دفع أ
- Article 39
An instrument on custody and visitation is enforced compulsorily, even using the competent force and entering homes, and re-enforced whenever necessary; direct enforcement provisions apply to those who refuse, under the Implementing Regulations.
1- ينفذ -جبرًا- السند التنفيذي الصادر بالحضانة، والزيارة، حتى لو أدى ذلك إلى الاستعانة بالقوة المختصة وإلى دخول المنازل بحسب ما يقتضيه الحال، ويعاد تنفيذ السند
- Article 40
When enforcing an instrument on visiting a child in custody, the court must take into account what serves the child's interest and suits the circumstances of enforcement, with details left to the Implementing Regulations.
تراعي المحكمة في تنفيذ السند التنفيذي الصادر بزيارة المحضون ما يحقق مصلحته، ويتناسب مع ظروف التنفيذ. وتحدد اللائحة الأحكام اللازمة لإنفاذ ما ورد في هذه المادة.
- Article 61
The Ministry of Justice licenses and supervises enforcement service providers such as the judicial sales agent and the judicial custodian, and the Minister issues regulations governing their work and fees.
1- تتولى الوزارة الترخيص لمقدمي خدمات التنفيذ والإشراف عليهم. ويُعد من مقدمي خدمات التنفيذ: وكيل البيع القضائي، والحارس القضائي، ومقدم خدمة استرداد الأصول، ومقد
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.