Article 2 of the Saudi Juvenile Law
المادة 2 من نظام الأحداث
The article provides that a person who has not completed seven years of age at the time of committing the punishable act is not held criminally liable.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يساءل جزائيًّا من لم يتم (السابعة) من عمره، وقت ارتكاب الفعل المعاقب عليه.
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 2 explained in plain English
This article sets the minimum age of criminal responsibility: a child who has not completed seven years of age is not held criminally liable for the punishable act, whatever the type of act.
What counts is the child's age at the time of committing the act, not when it is discovered or when the case is heard. If the child committed the act before completing seven years, he is not held criminally liable for it even if he grows older afterward.
This article is consistent with the definition of a juvenile in Article 1 as someone who has completed seven years and has not completed eighteen; someone under seven does not fall at all within the scope of the juvenile to whom the procedures, penalties, and measures of this law apply.
The article speaks of criminal liability only, and does not address any other effects that may result from the act. To determine age, Article 3 explains that it is calculated by the Hijri calendar based on what is recorded in any official document, with the juvenile possibly being referred to the competent medical body to estimate his age.
Anyone with a case in which the child's age is close to this limit would do best to consult a lawyer specializing in criminal cases and juvenile cases.
Practical example
A 6-year-old child in Dammam started a fire that caused damage to a neighboring warehouse. Since he had not completed seven years at the time of the act, he is not held criminally liable under this article.
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 2 of Juvenile Law?
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 2 of the Saudi Juvenile Law
What is the age of criminal responsibility in the Juvenile Law?
A person who has not completed seven years of age at the time of committing the punishable act is not held criminally liable.
Does the child's age at the time of the act or at the time of trial count?
The child's age at the time of committing the punishable act counts, as the article provides.
How is a child's age calculated?
Under Article 3, age is calculated by the Hijri calendar based on what is recorded in any official document.
More articles on Definition of a Juvenile and Age of Responsibility
- Article 1
The article defines the key terms of the Juvenile Law, most importantly that a juvenile is anyone who has completed seven years of age and has not completed eighteen.
يقصد بالكلمات الآتية -أينما وردت في هذا النظام- المعاني المبينة أمام كل منها: 1ـ النظام: نظام الأحداث. 2 ـ اللائحة: اللائحة التنفيذية للنظام. 3- النيابة: النياب
- Article 3
The article provides that a juvenile's age is calculated by the Hijri calendar based on any official document, and allows the court to refer him to a competent medical body to estimate his age.
لأغراض تطبيق النظام, يكون احتساب السن بالتقويم الهجري استناداً إلى ما هو مدون في أي وثيقة رسمية، وللمحكمة عند نظر القضية إحالة الحدث إلى الجهة الطبية المختصة لت
- Article 23
The article provides that the Council of Ministers issues the Implementing Regulations of the Juvenile Law, prepared by five bodies, within no more than 90 days of the Law's issuance.
يصدر مجلس الوزراء اللائحة -بعد أن تعدّها وزارة العدل ووزارة الداخلية ووزارة العمل والتنمية الاجتماعية والمجلس الأعلى للقضاء والنيابة العامة- في مدة لا تتجاوز تس
- Article 24
The article provides that the Juvenile Law takes effect 90 days after publication in the Official Gazette, and repeals all procedures and provisions that conflict with it.
يعمل بالنظام بعد تسعين يوماً من تاريخ نشره في الجريدة الرسمية، ويُلغي كل ما يتعارض معه من إجراءات وأحكام.
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.