Article 27 of the Saudi Explosives and Fireworks Law
المادة 27 من نظام المتفجرات والمفرقعات · الفصل الرابع: أحكام ختامية
The article exempts from the Law's penalties anyone who unlawfully possessed explosives or fireworks if he applies for the required permit or hands them over to the Ministry within 3 months of the Law taking effect.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يعفى من العقوبات الواردة في هذا النظام، كل من حاز متفجرات أو مفرقعات على وجه مخالف لأحكام هذا النظام، إذا تقدم بطلب التصريح اللازم بها خلال ثلاثة أشهر من تاريخ العمل بهذا النظام، أو سلم ما لديه إلى الوزارة خلال المدة المذكورة.
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 27 explained in plain English
This is a transitional article, meaning it was put in place to deal with situations existing when the Law starts to apply. It gives an opportunity to regularize the situation for anyone who was possessing explosives or fireworks in breach of the Law's provisions.
Who is covered by the exemption? Anyone who possessed explosives or fireworks in breach of the provisions of this Law.
What is required of him? One of two things:
- Apply for the required permit for these materials.
- Or hand over what he has to the Ministry, meaning the Ministry of Interior.
The time limit: 3 months from the date this Law takes effect. The period runs from the date the Law takes effect, not from the date it was issued or published.
The effect: exemption from the penalties in this Law.
This exemption differs from the one in Article 26. That one rests on reporting the violation or helping to catch accomplices, and is limited to the penalties of Articles 15, 16, 17 and 21, whereas this one rests on regularizing the possession itself within a period tied to the date the Law takes effect.
Because the period is tied to the date the Law starts to apply, whether it is still running depends on that date. The basis of this provision is the prohibition in Article 4, which bars possessing explosives and fireworks except with a permit from the Ministry. Anyone who holds materials of this kind and wants to know his legal position needs to consult a lawyer specializing in criminal 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 27 of the Saudi Explosives and Fireworks Law
Is someone who hands the explosives in his possession to the Ministry exempted?
The article exempts from the Law's penalties anyone who possessed explosives or fireworks in breach of the Law if he hands them to the Ministry or applies for the required permit within 3 months of the Law taking effect.
From when does the three-month period run?
From the date this Law takes effect, as the article provides.
More articles on Exemption from Penalty and Reward for Informants
- Article 26
The article exempts from the penalties of Articles 15, 16, 17 and 21 anyone who reports to the authorities before the violation is carried out, or reports afterward and his report helps catch his accomplices, under rules set by the Implementing Regulations.
يعفى من العقوبات المنصوص عليها في المواد (الخامسة عشرة، والسادسة عشرة، والسابعة عشرة، والحادية والعشرين) من هذا النظام كل من: أ - بادر بإبلاغ السلطات قبل البدء
- Article 28
The article grants anyone who reports a violation of the Explosives and Fireworks Law, where the report leads to catching it, a reward assessed by the Minister that does not exceed the fine set for the violation.
تمنح مكافأة – يقدرها الوزير – لا تزيد على مبلغ الغرامة المقررة للمخالفة، لكل من يبلغ عن أي مخالفة من المخالفات المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام، إذا ترتب على بلاغه ض
- Article 30
The article requires the Minister of Interior to issue the Implementing Regulations of the Explosives and Fireworks Law within 120 days, publish them in the Official Gazette, and apply them from the date the Law takes effect.
يصدر الوزير اللائحة التنفيذية لهذا النظام خلال مائة وعشرين يوما، وتنشر في الجريدة الرسمية، ويعمل بها من تاريخ نفاذ هذا النظام.
- Article 31
The article provides that the Explosives and Fireworks Law is published in the Official Gazette and takes effect 120 days after its publication, and that anything that conflicts with it is repealed.
ينشر هذا النظام في الجريدة الرسمية، ويعمل به بعد مائة وعشرين يوما من تاريخ نشره، ويلغي كل ما يتعارض معه من أحكام.
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.