Article 4 of the Saudi Law on Penalties for Impersonating a Public Authority Officer
المادة 4 من نظام عقوبات انتحال صفة رجل السلطة العامة
The article provides that applying the penalties of this Law does not prevent the offender being tried before the competent judiciary for any other offense.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يمنع تطبيق العقوبات المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام من محاكمة الجاني أمام القضاء المختص عن أي جريمة أخرى.
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 4 explained in plain English
Impersonating a public authority officer is often a means of committing other acts. This article addresses that situation, providing that applying the penalties provided for in this Law does not prevent trying the offender before the competent judiciary for any other offense.
In practice this means:
- Punishing a person for impersonation under this Law is not by itself enough to end his liability for other acts he committed.
- Each other offense is heard before the judiciary competent for it, not necessarily before the body that hears the offenses of this Law.
Article 3 provides that the accusation of the offenses in this Law is brought by the public prosecutor before the Board of Grievances. This article makes clear that this does not close the door to trying the offender for his other offenses before the judiciary competent for them.
The article does not set how penalties are combined or the order of trials; it is limited to providing that trial for another offense remains possible. To assess the position in a case with more than one charge, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in criminal cases.
Practical example
A person in Riyadh impersonated a public authority officer to enter a home and take money from it. Punishing him for the impersonation under this Law does not prevent his trial before the competent judiciary for the other acts he committed.
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 4 of the Saudi Law on Penalties for Impersonating a Public Authority Officer
Is someone who impersonates punished for other offenses he committed?
Yes. The article provides that applying the penalties of this Law does not prevent the offender being tried before the competent judiciary for any other offense.
Where are other offenses connected with the impersonation heard?
Before the judiciary competent for them, as the article provides.
Where is the offense of impersonation itself heard?
Under Article 3, the public prosecutor brings the accusation for it before the Board of Grievances.
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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.