Article 11 of the Saudi Penal Law on Forgery Crimes

المادة 11 من النظام الجزائي لجرائم التزوير · الفصل الرابع تزوير المحررات أولاً: الصور العادية

The article punishes forging bonds or valuable papers issued by the public treasury with imprisonment of 2 to 7 years and a fine of up to SAR 1,000,000, plus paying what the treasury lost.

Official text (Arabic)

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

من زوّر سنداتٍ أو أوراقاً ذات قيمة مما تصدره الخزينة العامة، يعاقب بالسجن من سنتين إلى سبع سنوات وبغرامة لا تزيد على مليون ريال، مع إلزامه بدفع ما فوته على الخزينة العامة.

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 11 explained in plain English

This article protects bonds and valuable papers issued by the public treasury, because forging them directly affects public funds.

Whoever forges any of them is punished as follows:

Imprisonment of 2 to 7 years.
And a fine of up to SAR 1,000,000.
With an order requiring him to pay what he cost the public treasury.

The text combines imprisonment and a fine without the option of imposing only one of them, and adds to them an obligation on the offender to repay what the treasury lost because of his act. The elements of forgery set out in Article 1 must be present: an alteration of the truth by one of the methods provided for, in bad faith, with intent to use, with the possibility of harm.

The minimum imprisonment here (2 years) is higher than the minimum in Article 12, which punishes a public employee who forges a document he is competent to draw up (imprisonment of one to 7 years and a fine of up to SAR 700,000). Article 10 concerns documents attributed to the King, the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister or one of his deputies, punished by imprisonment of 3 to 10 years and a fine of up to SAR 1,000,000.

Anyone facing an accusation of this kind is advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.

Practical example

A person fabricated a paper resembling a bond issued by the public treasury and used it as security to obtain a sum of money from a merchant. He is punished with imprisonment of 2 to 7 years and a fine of up to SAR 1,000,000, and is required to pay what he cost the public treasury, if anything.

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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