Article 25 of the Saudi Penal Law on Forgery Crimes
المادة 25 من النظام الجزائي لجرائم التزوير · الفصل الخامس: أحكام عامة
The article requires exemption of an offender who reports his offense before it is discovered and before the forgery is used, and allows exempting him after discovery if he points out the other offenders and facilitates their arrest.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تحكم المحكمة المختصة بالإعفاء من عقوبة جرائم التزوير المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام، لكل من بادر من الجناة بالإبلاغ عن جريمته قبل اكتشافها واستعمال المزوّر.
وللمحكمة المختصة إعفاء الجاني من العقوبة بعد اكتشاف الجريمة إذا أرشد عن باقي الجناة وسهّل القبض عليهم.
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 25 explained in plain English
This article encourages offenders to reveal forgery offenses, and distinguishes between two cases:
Case one: mandatory exemption
- The competent court orders exemption from punishment for any of the offenders who comes forward to report his offense.
- On condition that the report is before the offense is discovered and before the forgery is used; both conditions must be met together.
- The wording "the court orders" means that exemption here is not optional once its conditions are met.
Case two: discretionary exemption
- If the offense has been discovered, the competent court may exempt the offender.
- On condition that he points out the other offenders and facilitates their arrest.
- Exemption here is left to the court's discretion.
The text speaks of exemption from the penalty for "the forgery offenses provided for in this law".
This article comes after Article 24, which allows suspension of the ancillary penalty in specific offenses, and before Article 26, which extends the application of the law to certain offenses committed outside the Kingdom.
Because whether the conditions for exemption are met is a delicate matter, anyone considering reporting is advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases first.
Practical example
Three people agreed to forge documents, and after preparing them, before using them or having the matter discovered, one of them came forward to report the offense. The court orders this person exempted from punishment. If he had reported after the offense was discovered, his exemption would be discretionary for the court, if he pointed out the others and facilitated their arrest.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentA question about Article 25 of Penal Law on Forgery Crimes?
Describe what happened and specialist lawyers answer. You can write in English.
- Completely free
- Lawyers from the directory answer
- Your name stays hidden
Criminal Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Criminal Law lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
شركة امتداد النظام للمحاماة والاستشارات المهنية
- Labour & Employment Law
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Law
- Commercial & Corporate Law
Frequently asked questions about Article 25 of the Saudi Penal Law on Forgery Crimes
Is a forger exempted if he reports his own offense?
The court orders his exemption if he comes forward to report before the offense is discovered and before the forgery is used.
Can exemption be granted after the offense is discovered?
The court may exempt the offender after discovery if he points out the other offenders and facilitates their arrest.
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.