Article 56 of the Saudi Enforcement Law

المادة 56 من نظام التنفيذ · الباب السادس: العقوبات

In the case of recidivism, the penalty imposed for enforcement offenses may be doubled up to twice the maximum; a recidivist is one who commits an offense within 3 years of a judgment becoming final.

Official text (Arabic)

This article has not been amended since the law was issued.

يجوز في حالة العود الحكم بمضاعفة العقوبة المحكوم بها للجرائم المنصوص عليها في هذا الباب، حتى لو ترتب عليها تجاوز الحد الأقصى لها على ألا تتجاوز ضعف هذا الحد. ويُعد عائدًا كل من ارتكب أيًّا من الجرائم المحكوم عليه فيها بحكم نهائي؛ خلال (ثلاث) سنوات من تاريخ اكتساب الحكم الصفة القطعية.

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 56 explained in plain English

This article governs recidivism in the enforcement offenses provided for in the penalties chapter:

Who is a recidivist: Anyone who commits any of the offenses for which he was sentenced by a final judgment, within 3 years of the date the judgment became final.
Effect of recidivism: The penalty imposed may be doubled, even if this results in exceeding the maximum set for it.
Ceiling of the doubling: The penalty may not exceed twice the maximum.
Doubling is discretionary: The article uses the word "may", so doubling is not mandatory.

Arithmetic example: If the maximum imprisonment for an offense is 3 years, the doubled penalty in the case of recidivism may exceed 3 years but may not exceed 6 years.

Note that the 3-year period is counted from the date the earlier judgment became final, not from the date the first offense was committed.

The article follows Article 55, which provides for applying the more severe penalty if the act constitutes an offense provided for in another law. It is followed by Article 57, which governs the penalties for violating enforcement service providers, such as a warning, a fine, and suspension or cancellation of the license.

Practical example

A person was sentenced by a final judgment for one of the enforcement offenses, and the judgment became final; two years later he committed the same offense. He is a recidivist because he committed it within 3 years of the date the judgment became final, so the court may double the penalty even if it exceeds the maximum, provided it does not exceed twice that maximum.

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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